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This page will cover food security and food security related matters in South Africa and will be updated on a regular basis as more and newer information becomes available.
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16 May 2019: Extent of food security in South Africa
We take a look at an article/data story published on Statistics South Africa's website regarding the extent of food security in South Africa. The article follows below:
Did you know that in 2017, 6,8 million South Africans experienced hunger? While the number has dropped from 13,5 million in 2002, it still affects 1,7 million households across the country. These figures were released in a recent survey, “Towards measuring the extent of food security in South Africa: An examination of hunger and food inadequacy”, published by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA).
Did you know that in 2017, 6,8 million South Africans experienced hunger? While the number has dropped from 13,5 million in 2002, it still affects 1,7 million households across the country. These figures were released in a recent survey, “Towards measuring the extent of food security in South Africa: An examination of hunger and food inadequacy”, published by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA).
Whilst South Africa is food secure at national level, the country is still food insecure at household level as not all households have access to adequate food. Almost 20% of South African households had inadequate or severe inadequate access to food in 2017. This varied by province, population group of household head and by household size.
According to Oxfam, food security occurs when all people at all times have access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food to meet their dietary needs for an active and healthy lifestyle. Food insecurity occurs when people’s access to food is minimally adequate and they have trouble meeting their basic needs, while severe inadequate access to food occurs when there is a critical lack of access to food.
Limpopo (93,6%) and Gauteng (84,0%) had the highest proportion of households that reported adequate food access whilst North West (64,0%) and Northern Cape (66,5%) provinces had the lowest proportions of households that had adequate food access and therefore can be seen as the least food secure.
Households headed by black Africans and coloureds were less likely to have adequate access to food compared to households headed by Indians/Asians and whites. In addition, households with larger household sizes were more likely to have inadequate or severe inadequate access to food compared to those with smaller household sizes. Almost two-thirds of the households that were vulnerable to hunger resided in urban areas.
Food inadequacy and hunger are still a challenge. Poverty-stricken households lack money to buy food and are unable to produce their own food. These households are constrained by the inability to secure employment or to generate income. Poor households are also typically characterised by few income-earners and many dependents, and are particularly vulnerable to economic shocks.
Severe inadequate access to food is mostly found among households with more than eight household members. According to the report, just under a third (29,6%) of households that comprised more than three children reported that food access was inadequate. This proportion is almost twice the national average. Households with no children or fewer children were more likely to have adequate access to food than those with many children. Child hunger was still a challenge in South Africa. More than half a million households with children aged five years or younger experienced hunger in 2017. Northern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal had the highest proportion of households that experienced hunger. According to the report, more than half of households with young children that experienced hunger were in urban areas.
The involvement of households in agricultural activities for subsistence farming can play an important role in reducing the vulnerability to hunger of rural and urban food-insecure households. The results show that out of 16,2 million households, about 2,5 million households (15,6%) were involved in agricultural activities in South Africa in 2017. Provinces that are predominantly rural and with high levels of poverty such as Limpopo (25%), Eastern Cape (20%) and KwaZulu-Natal (20%) had the highest proportions of households that relied on agricultural activities to supply their own food. Most households involved in agricultural activities were involved in the production of fruits and vegetables, grain and other food crops, as well as in livestock and poultry farming. Although the main source of income for these households was social grants, most households involved in agricultural activities indicated that the main reason for their involvement is to supplement food for the household. While food inadequacy and hunger remain a challenge, South Africa has made significant progress towards reducing the number of South Africans and the proportion of households who experienced hunger in 2002.
According to Oxfam, food security occurs when all people at all times have access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food to meet their dietary needs for an active and healthy lifestyle. Food insecurity occurs when people’s access to food is minimally adequate and they have trouble meeting their basic needs, while severe inadequate access to food occurs when there is a critical lack of access to food.
Limpopo (93,6%) and Gauteng (84,0%) had the highest proportion of households that reported adequate food access whilst North West (64,0%) and Northern Cape (66,5%) provinces had the lowest proportions of households that had adequate food access and therefore can be seen as the least food secure.
Households headed by black Africans and coloureds were less likely to have adequate access to food compared to households headed by Indians/Asians and whites. In addition, households with larger household sizes were more likely to have inadequate or severe inadequate access to food compared to those with smaller household sizes. Almost two-thirds of the households that were vulnerable to hunger resided in urban areas.
Food inadequacy and hunger are still a challenge. Poverty-stricken households lack money to buy food and are unable to produce their own food. These households are constrained by the inability to secure employment or to generate income. Poor households are also typically characterised by few income-earners and many dependents, and are particularly vulnerable to economic shocks.
Severe inadequate access to food is mostly found among households with more than eight household members. According to the report, just under a third (29,6%) of households that comprised more than three children reported that food access was inadequate. This proportion is almost twice the national average. Households with no children or fewer children were more likely to have adequate access to food than those with many children. Child hunger was still a challenge in South Africa. More than half a million households with children aged five years or younger experienced hunger in 2017. Northern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal had the highest proportion of households that experienced hunger. According to the report, more than half of households with young children that experienced hunger were in urban areas.
The involvement of households in agricultural activities for subsistence farming can play an important role in reducing the vulnerability to hunger of rural and urban food-insecure households. The results show that out of 16,2 million households, about 2,5 million households (15,6%) were involved in agricultural activities in South Africa in 2017. Provinces that are predominantly rural and with high levels of poverty such as Limpopo (25%), Eastern Cape (20%) and KwaZulu-Natal (20%) had the highest proportions of households that relied on agricultural activities to supply their own food. Most households involved in agricultural activities were involved in the production of fruits and vegetables, grain and other food crops, as well as in livestock and poultry farming. Although the main source of income for these households was social grants, most households involved in agricultural activities indicated that the main reason for their involvement is to supplement food for the household. While food inadequacy and hunger remain a challenge, South Africa has made significant progress towards reducing the number of South Africans and the proportion of households who experienced hunger in 2002.
30 March 2019: Introduction into issues around food security
The introduction into food security and its measurement below comes directly from the report published by Statistics South Africa.
"Issues of household food and nutrition security have received increasing worldwide attention recently as the impact of climate change and tough economic conditions puts new and additional stress on food systems. A report by Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) (in collaboration with FAD et al, 2018) warned that the world is not on track to eradicate hunger by 2030 as envisioned in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Recent evidence indicates that approximately 821 million people in the world were undernourished in 2017 (FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP and WHO, 2018). Furthermore, the Global Hunger Index showed that 52 out of 119 countries had GHI scores, rated as having either “serious”, ”alarming”, or ”extremely alarming” hunger in the same year (IFPRI,2017). Ultimately, more and more countries are recognizing the need to expand the measurement of food and nutrition security and its importance in informing planning and monitoring of progress towards achieving the 2030 targets.
Significant efforts have been made by the South African government to promote food security and to domesticate international indicators on food security to monitor development in different organs of the State. An inter-ministerial National Food Security and Nutrition Plan has been developed by the SA government and its coordination occurs at the Presidency. Additionally, the country’s National Development Plan (NDP) recognises agricultural productivity and rural development among the essential priorities for creation of employment, economic growth, reducing poverty and addressing food security in South Africa.
The right to food is enshrined in the South African Constitution. Section 27(1) (b) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa states that, “everyone has the right to sufficient food and water” and Section (27) (b) emphasises that “the State must formulate reasonable legislative efforts and take other measures within its available resources, to achieve the progressive realisation of these rights.” The right to food requires that food be available, accessible, and adequate for everyone without discrimination. The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) is responsible for developing agricultural policies and initiate support programmes to ensure that South Africans are able to produce their own food and reduce food insecurity. The Food and Nutrition Security Policy is key in achieving the objectives of the National Development Plan and that of the global SDGs. Goal 2 of the SDGs commits to ending hunger, achieving food security, improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture by 2030. Thus collection, processing and analysis of data on food and nutrition security has become more critical to study the impact of, and to inform decisions on government initiatives towards reducing food and nutrition insecurity in South Africa. Since the concept of food security is broad, this therefore makes its measurement complex. According to the FAO, food security exists when all people at all times have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and health life. "
This report is the first of a series of reports to be compiled by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) towards shedding greater light on the state of food and nutrition security in South Africa. It seeks to provide information on the extent of households’ experiences of hunger and access to food, as well as to provide insight on the location and the profile of households that are food insecure in terms of access to food and exposure to hunger. The report also provides insight on the extent of households’ involvement in agricultural activities.
"Issues of household food and nutrition security have received increasing worldwide attention recently as the impact of climate change and tough economic conditions puts new and additional stress on food systems. A report by Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) (in collaboration with FAD et al, 2018) warned that the world is not on track to eradicate hunger by 2030 as envisioned in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Recent evidence indicates that approximately 821 million people in the world were undernourished in 2017 (FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP and WHO, 2018). Furthermore, the Global Hunger Index showed that 52 out of 119 countries had GHI scores, rated as having either “serious”, ”alarming”, or ”extremely alarming” hunger in the same year (IFPRI,2017). Ultimately, more and more countries are recognizing the need to expand the measurement of food and nutrition security and its importance in informing planning and monitoring of progress towards achieving the 2030 targets.
Significant efforts have been made by the South African government to promote food security and to domesticate international indicators on food security to monitor development in different organs of the State. An inter-ministerial National Food Security and Nutrition Plan has been developed by the SA government and its coordination occurs at the Presidency. Additionally, the country’s National Development Plan (NDP) recognises agricultural productivity and rural development among the essential priorities for creation of employment, economic growth, reducing poverty and addressing food security in South Africa.
The right to food is enshrined in the South African Constitution. Section 27(1) (b) of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa states that, “everyone has the right to sufficient food and water” and Section (27) (b) emphasises that “the State must formulate reasonable legislative efforts and take other measures within its available resources, to achieve the progressive realisation of these rights.” The right to food requires that food be available, accessible, and adequate for everyone without discrimination. The Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) is responsible for developing agricultural policies and initiate support programmes to ensure that South Africans are able to produce their own food and reduce food insecurity. The Food and Nutrition Security Policy is key in achieving the objectives of the National Development Plan and that of the global SDGs. Goal 2 of the SDGs commits to ending hunger, achieving food security, improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture by 2030. Thus collection, processing and analysis of data on food and nutrition security has become more critical to study the impact of, and to inform decisions on government initiatives towards reducing food and nutrition insecurity in South Africa. Since the concept of food security is broad, this therefore makes its measurement complex. According to the FAO, food security exists when all people at all times have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and health life. "
This report is the first of a series of reports to be compiled by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) towards shedding greater light on the state of food and nutrition security in South Africa. It seeks to provide information on the extent of households’ experiences of hunger and access to food, as well as to provide insight on the location and the profile of households that are food insecure in terms of access to food and exposure to hunger. The report also provides insight on the extent of households’ involvement in agricultural activities.
So enough talking. Lets get to the numbers
The image below shows the proportion of South Africa's population living below the food poverty line (as calculated by Stats SA). See more regarding poverty in South Africa here.
The image below shows the proportion of the population in each province involved in some form of agricultural activity (for own consumption or as a means of making a living). The image below clearly shows that less and less households are actively involved in agricultural activity.
According to the report "Between 2011 and 2016, South Africa experienced a decline in the proportion of households involved in agricultural activities. In 2011, about 2,9 million households (19,9%) reported that they were involved in agricultural activities and in 2016, this declined to 2,3 million households (13,8%). A decrease of 6,1 percentage points was observed. However the decrease in households’ agricultural production occurred in all provinces."
The next image shows the number of people and households that are vulnerable to hunger. Aoccording to the report the image llustrates the number of households and persons who had experienced hunger in South Africa in the past 15 years. In 2002 there were 13,5 million South Africans who experienced hunger and this number dropped to 6,8 million in 2017. Households that experienced hunger also decreased from 2,7 million to 1,7 million households within the same period
The pie chart below shows of all households involved in agricultural activities what percentage resides on which province in South Africa. The province with the smallest percentage of households involved in the agriculture was the Northern Cape, followed closely by the Western Cape and then the North West.
The report states the following regarding the pie chart above. "provinces that are predominantly rural and with high levels of poverty such as Limpopo (25%), Eastern Cape (20%) and KwaZulu-Natal (20%) had the highest proportions of households involved in agricultural activities. "
The stacked bar chart below shows the main reasons households are involved in agriculture and its broken down per province. So why are households involved in agricultural activities, is it for leisure, as main source of income, as an extra source of income, or even more worrying is agricultural activities the main source of their food.
The stacked bar chart below shows the main reasons households are involved in agriculture and its broken down per province. So why are households involved in agricultural activities, is it for leisure, as main source of income, as an extra source of income, or even more worrying is agricultural activities the main source of their food.
So 36.7% of households in the Western Cape involved in agricultural activities stated that they are involved in agricultural activities as a form of leisure, while only 3% of households involved in agricultural activities in the Western Cape stated that is their main source of food. The summary below ranks the provinces (from highest to lowest) in terms of percentage of households that stated they are involved in agricultural activities as its their main source of food:
So for South Africa as a whole, 7.5% of households involved in agricultural activities stated they are involved in it as it is their main source of food. That is a clear indication of some of the absolute poverty that is prevelent in South Africa.
- Gauteng: 18.1%
- Northern Cape: 15.2%
- Free State: 13.6%
- KwaZulu-Natal: 9.4%
- Mpumalanga: 9.3%
- South Africa: 7.5%
- Eastern Cape: 6.5%
- Western Cape: 3%
- North West: 2.7%
- Limpopo: 1.8%
So for South Africa as a whole, 7.5% of households involved in agricultural activities stated they are involved in it as it is their main source of food. That is a clear indication of some of the absolute poverty that is prevelent in South Africa.