IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v16y2024i6p2525-d1359766.html

Analysis of the Contribution of Home Gardens to Household Food Security in Limpopo Province, South Africa

Author

Listed:
  • Mbalenhle Gwacela

    (Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Resource Management, School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences, College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg 3201, South Africa
    Centre for Transformative Agricultural and Food Systems, School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences, College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg 3201, South Africa)

  • Mjabuliseni Simon Cleopas Ngidi

    (Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Resource Management, School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences, College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg 3201, South Africa
    Centre for Transformative Agricultural and Food Systems, School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences, College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg 3201, South Africa)

  • Simphiwe Innocentia Hlatshwayo

    (Centre for Transformative Agricultural and Food Systems, School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences, College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg 3201, South Africa)

  • Temitope Oluwaseun Ojo

    (Department of Agricultural Economics, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife 220103, Nigeria
    Disaster Management Training and Education Centre for Africa, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein 9301, South Africa)

Abstract

Addressing food security is one of the national priorities in South Africa, enshrined under the country’s constitution, yet there is a growing percentage of households struggling to meet their food requirements. Food insecurity and malnutrition remain severe problems in rural communities and can be addressed through home gardening. This study aimed to assess the contributions of home gardens to food security in Limpopo Province. This study employed a quantitative research methodology. A total of 2043 rural households were selected using multistage stratified random sampling. The Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) was used to measure household food insecurity levels of home garden participants. Results showed that 46% of participants were food secure, 24% were severely food insecure, 17% were moderately food insecure and 13% were mildly food insecure. The results from the endogenous switching Poisson regression model showed that gender, household size, wage/salary, access to land, agriculture-related assistance and market distance had a positive influence on household food security of home garden participants. On the other hand, employment status and receiving any social relief had a negative association with household food security of home garden participants. The results also showed that employment status had a positive influence on the food security of home garden non-participants, while education, access to land, wage/salary and age had a negative influence. The results from average treatment effects (ATEs) showed that households that participated in home garden production had a negative and significant ( p -value < 0.05) impact on household food insecurity. This study concludes that involvement in home gardening improves food security. Household food security can be enhanced through agricultural training and skills enhancement directed at increasing participation in home gardening in rural areas, thus addressing income and food security challenges. Agricultural education needs to be introduced and facilitated at school levels so that an understanding of food systems, nutrition and food security can be attained from younger age groups.

Suggested Citation

  • Mbalenhle Gwacela & Mjabuliseni Simon Cleopas Ngidi & Simphiwe Innocentia Hlatshwayo & Temitope Oluwaseun Ojo, 2024. "Analysis of the Contribution of Home Gardens to Household Food Security in Limpopo Province, South Africa," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(6), pages 1-13, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:6:p:2525-:d:1359766
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/6/2525/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/6/2525/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Reardon, Thomas, 1997. "Using evidence of household income diversification to inform study of the rural nonfarm labor market in Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 25(5), pages 735-747, May.
    2. Bahta Yonas Tesfamariam & Enoch Owusu-Sekyere & Donkor Emmanuel & Tlalang Boipelo Elizabeth, 2018. "The impact of the homestead food garden programme on food security in South Africa," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 10(1), pages 95-110, February.
    3. Terza, Joseph V., 1998. "Estimating count data models with endogenous switching: Sample selection and endogenous treatment effects," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 84(1), pages 129-154, May.
    4. Isaac B. Oluwatayo & Ayodeji O. Ojo, 2019. "Effect of Access to ICT on Food Insecurity Among Farming Households in Nigeria," Journal of Developing Areas, Tennessee State University, College of Business, vol. 53(2), pages 155-168, April-Jun.
    5. Ashok K. Mishra & Kh. A. Mottaleb & Samarendu Mohanty, 2015. "Impact of off-farm income on food expenditures in rural Bangladesh: an unconditional quantile regression approach," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 46(2), pages 139-148, March.
    6. Dzanku, Fred Mawunyo, 2019. "Food security in rural sub-Saharan Africa: Exploring the nexus between gender, geography and off-farm employment," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 26-43.
    7. Chakona, Gamuchirai & Shackleton, Charlie M., 2019. "Food insecurity in South Africa: To what extent can social grants and consumption of wild foods eradicate hunger?," World Development Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 13(C), pages 87-94.
    8. Takuya Hasebe, 2020. "Endogenous switching regression model and treatment effects of count-data outcome," Stata Journal, StataCorp LLC, vol. 20(3), pages 627-646, September.
    9. Alfonso Miranda, 2004. "FIML estimation of an endogenous switching model for count data," Stata Journal, StataCorp LLC, vol. 4(1), pages 40-49, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Joyce M. Thamaga-Chitja & Nthabeleng Tamako & Temitope O. Ojo, 2025. "Implications of Land Ownership Heterogeneity on Household Food Security: A Case Study of Urban Farming in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal Province," Land, MDPI, vol. 14(2), pages 1-16, January.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Festus O. Amadu & Daniel C. Miller, 2024. "Food security effects of forest sector participation in rural Liberia," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 16(5), pages 1099-1124, October.
    2. Nonkululeko Thandeka Brightness Zondi & Mjabuliseni Simon Cloapas Ngidi & Temitope Oluwaseun Ojo & Simphiwe Innocentia Hlatshwayo, 2022. "Impact of Market Participation of Indigenous Crops on Household Food Security of Smallholder Farmers of South Africa," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-19, November.
    3. Amadu, Festus O. & McNamara, Paul E., 2025. "Agricultural stakeholder panels and lead farmer visits: Evidence from Malawi," World Development Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 39(C).
    4. Koomson, Isaac & Orkoh, Emmanuel & Ahmad, Shabbir, 2023. "Non-farm entrepreneurship, caste, and energy poverty in rural India," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 127(PA).
    5. Dsouza, Alwin & Mishra, Ashok K. & Tripathi, Amarnath, "undated". "Improving Diet Quality through Off-Farm Work: Empirical Evidence from India," 2018 Annual Meeting, August 5-7, Washington, D.C. 274494, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    6. Vondolia, Godwin Kofi & Eggert, HÃ¥kan & Stage, Jesper, "undated". "Nudging Boserup? The Impact of Fertilizer Subsidies on Investment in Soil and Water Conservation," RFF Working Paper Series dp-12-08-efd, Resources for the Future.
    7. Alfonso Miranda & Sophia Rabe-Hesketh, 2006. "Maximum likelihood estimation of endogenous switching and sample selection models for binary, ordinal, and count variables," Stata Journal, StataCorp LLC, vol. 6(3), pages 285-308, September.
    8. Alwin D'Souza & Ashok K. Mishra & Stefan Hirsch, 2020. "Enhancing food security through diet quality: The role of nonfarm work in rural India," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 51(1), pages 95-110, January.
    9. AZUMAH, Shaibu Baanni & MAHAMA, Abass & DONKOH, Samuel A., . "Modelling The Determinants Of Adoption Of Multiple Climate Change Coping And Adaptation Strategies. A Micro Analysis Of Smallholder Farmers In Northern Ghana," Review of Agricultural and Applied Economics (RAAE), Faculty of Economics and Management, Slovak Agricultural University in Nitra, vol. 23(01).
    10. Sènakpon F.A. Dedehouanou & Dugassa Aichatou Ousseini & Abdoulaziz Laouali Harouna & Jabir Maimounata, 2015. "Spillovers from Off-farm Self-Employment Opportunities in Rural NIGER," Working Papers 2015/03, Maastricht School of Management.
    11. Emilio Parrado & Chenoa Flippen & Chris McQuiston, 2005. "Migration and relationship power among mexican women," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 42(2), pages 347-372, May.
    12. Ma, Wanglin & Vatsa, Puneet & Zheng, Hongyun & Rahut, Dil Bahadur, 2022. "Nonfarm employment and consumption diversification in rural China," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 582-598.
    13. Kevin E. Staub, 2009. "Simple tests for exogeneity of a binary explanatory variable in count data regression models," SOI - Working Papers 0904, Socioeconomic Institute - University of Zurich.
    14. Francois Degeorge & Francois Derrien & Kent L. Womack, 2007. "Analyst Hype in IPOs: Explaining the Popularity of Bookbuilding," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 20(4), pages 1021-1058.
    15. Mahamadou Roufahi Tankari, 2020. "Rainfall variability and farm households’ food insecurity in Burkina Faso: nonfarm activities as a coping strategy," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 12(3), pages 567-578, June.
    16. Habi Ky, 2025. "Factors Influencing Women’s Non-Agricultural Entrepreneurship in Rural Burkina Faso: Does Unpaid Housework Matter?," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 16(5), pages 15931-15949, November.
    17. Bratti, M. & Miranda, A, 2010. "Endogenous Treatment Effects for Count Data Models with Sample Selection or Endogenous Participation," Health, Econometrics and Data Group (HEDG) Working Papers 10/19, HEDG, c/o Department of Economics, University of York.
    18. Andrés Ramírez Hassan & Johnatan Cardona Jimenez & Ramiro Cadavid Montoya, 2011. "The impact of subsidized health insurance on the poor in Colombia: Evaluating the case of Medellin," Documentos de Trabajo de Valor Público 10602, Universidad EAFIT.
    19. Zakaria, Abraham & Azumah, Shaibu Baanni & Appiah-Twumasi, Mark & Dagunga, Gilbert, 2020. "Adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices among farm households in Ghana: The role of farmer participation in training programmes," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    20. Mamoudou Ba & Amar Anwar & Mazhar Mughal, 2021. "Non‐farm employment and poverty reduction in Mauritania," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(3), pages 490-514, April.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:6:p:2525-:d:1359766. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.