Utilization Pattern of Indigenous and Naturalized Plants among Some Selected Rural Households of North West Province, South Africa

Globally, a substantial proportion of existing indigenous and naturalized foods are often neglected thereby narrowing the food-base available to humans. The current study explored the use and contribution of indigenous and naturalized plants to the households’ food-pool among 12 communities in the North West Province of South Africa. An ethnobotanical survey was conducted among 133 rural households across the 12 selected communities from the four district municipalities in North West Province, South Africa. We analyzed the utilization patterns for 31 selected indigenous and naturalized plants (grains, fruits, and vegetables) among the 133 households using two ethnobotanical indices. In reference to the checklist of 31 plants, the sampled households utilize approximately 94% (29) as staple foods, beverages, fruits and fodder. Sorghum bicolor, Vigna unguiculata, Amaranthus sp., Sclerocarya birrea, Persea americana, and Mimusops zeyheri were among the top-six plants based on the Relative Frequency of Citation (RFC, 40–83%). In terms of the different crop-types, Sorghum bicolor (grain), Amaranthus sp. (vegetable), and Sclerocarya birrea (fruit) were the top-ranked plants based on the Species Popularity Index (SPI, 0.53–0.83) among the participants. Overall, there is a need for a renaissance of indigenous and naturalized plants, which has the potential to encourage rural farmers to further embrace the cultivation of these plants on a larger scale so as to enhance food security in the rural communities.

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Evaluation of Factors Influencing the Inclusion of Indigenous Plants for Food Security among Rural Households in the North West Province of South Africa

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su12229562 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (22) ◽

pp. 9562

Author(s):

Abiodun Olusola Omotayo ◽

Adeyemi Oladapo Aremu

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Logistic Regression ◽

Food Security ◽

Food System ◽

Rural Households ◽

Binary Logistic Regression ◽

Indigenous Plants ◽

North West ◽

The North ◽

North West Province

Underutilised indigenous plants can support and strengthen the existing food system, as they are considered as socio-economically and environmentally appropriate. These plants generally adapt to marginal conditions, which is essential for a resilient agriculture and sustainable food systems. The current study relied on food security and indigenous plants data collected from some selected rural households from the North West Province of South Africa. The utilised data were collected through a multi-stage sampling technique with the aid of a pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire, while descriptive methods Foster–Greer–Thorbecke (FGT) and binary logistic regression were used for data analysis. The models produced a good fit for the data, and the computed F-value was statistically significant (p < 0.01). The study examined socio-economic and food security status based on the knowledge and the perception of indigenous plants by the households. The incidence of food insecurity (θ0) was 0.4060, indicating that 40.6% of the participants were food insecure while 59.4% were food secured. Binary logistic regression results indicate that factors such as age, gender, educational attainment, inclusion of indigenous plants in diet, food expenditure, and access in the study area impacted results. It was also evident that the participants had considerable knowledge of indigenous plants. However, these indigenous plants were not cultivated or included in the diet by the majority of the participants. The formulation of appropriate holistic policies that support the incorporation of the indigenous plants into the food system is recommended.

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Determinants of Household Income and Willingness to Pay for Indigenous Plants in North West Province, South Africa: A Two-Stage Heckman Approach

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13105458 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (10) ◽

pp. 5458

Author(s):

Abiodun Olusola Omotayo ◽

Peter Tshepiso Ndhlovu ◽

Seleke Christopher Tshwene ◽

Kehinde Oluseyi Olagunju ◽

Adeyemi Oladapo Aremu

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Willingness To Pay ◽

Food System ◽

Rural Households ◽

Two Stage ◽

Indigenous Plants ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Heckman Model ◽

North West ◽

North West Province

Using a cross-sectional dataset, this study examines the factors influencing the income and willingness to pay for indigenous plants by rural households in the North West Province of South Africa. The method of data analysis was based on a two-stage Heckman model. Based on empirical data, the majority (93%) of the households are willing to pay for the indigenous plants. Furthermore, factors such as the age of the household’s head, marital status, size of households, financial returns and economic benefit of indigenous plants significantly influenced income and willingness to pay for indigenous plants by the households. Thus, indigenous plants have the potential to penetrate local and international markets and can be used to improve the economies, livelihood, and food security status of rural households in South Africa. Indigenous plant cultivation can increase agro-food system species diversity while conserving plant species indigenous to this area of South Africa. Encouraging both consumption and production of indigenous plants can also help diversify local economies and communities.

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