An assessment of the contribution of peri-urban agriculture on household food security in Tongaat, eThekwini Municipality
type: CreativeWork
description: Despite South Africa’s economic growth having been accelerated considerably in the country, poverty levels have not decreased as one would have expected. Urban and peri-urban agriculture have been introduced as a livelihood strategy to alleviate poverty and ensure household food security. Food insecurity is conventionally theorized as a rural development problem and the current theoretical tools to comprehend the challenge and frame the responses are inadequate to address food insecurity in urban areas. The aim of this study was to assess the contribution of peri-urban agriculture on household food security in in Tongaat peri-urban area of eThekwini Municipality. A quantitative approach, employing a cross-sectional design was used to gather data. Stratified random sampling was employed, and a total of 208 households (109 farming and 99 non-farming households) were sampled. Data analysis was done through descriptive statistics and inferential statistics (econometric modelling using a probit regression model). On average, respondents were about 46 years old. There was a high rate of unemployment with the majority (51%) of the total sample indicated that they were not formally employed. The results revealed that labour for gardening activities was predominantly supplied by female household members. A greater proportion (about 46%) of the interviewed farming households in Tongaat were involved with field crops (which included cabbages, spinach, sweet potato and avocado) followed by livestock rearing which accounted for about 40 percent of the sample, poultry (about 35%), fruits (about 4%) and flowers (about 3%). The majority (50% and 62%) of crop and livestock farmers respectively reported that limited land availability and drought were the major farming challenges for each category of farming. The results from the HDDS tool, showed that a greater proportion (54%) of the farming households consumed >6 food groups (deemed to be food secure) as compared to their counterpa…
abstract: Despite South Africa’s economic growth having been accelerated considerably in the country, poverty levels have not decreased as one would have expected. Urban and peri-urban agriculture have been introduced as a livelihood strategy to alleviate poverty and ensure household food security. Food insecurity is conventionally theorized as a rural development problem and the current theoretical tools to comprehend the challenge and frame the responses are inadequate to address food insecurity in urban areas. The aim of this study was to assess the contribution of peri-urban agriculture on household food security in in Tongaat peri-urban area of eThekwini Municipality. A quantitative approach, employing a cross-sectional design was used to gather data. Stratified random sampling was employed, and a total of 208 households (109 farming and 99 non-farming households) were sampled. Data analysis was done through descriptive statistics and inferential statistics (econometric modelling using a probit regression model). On average, respondents were about 46 years old. There was a high rate of unemployment with the majority (51%) of the total sample indicated that they were not formally employed. The results revealed that labour for gardening activities was predominantly supplied by female household members. A greater proportion (about 46%) of the interviewed farming households in Tongaat were involved with field crops (which included cabbages, spinach, sweet potato and avocado) followed by livestock rearing which accounted for about 40 percent of the sample, poultry (about 35%), fruits (about 4%) and flowers (about 3%). The majority (50% and 62%) of crop and livestock farmers respectively reported that limited land availability and drought were the major farming challenges for each category of farming. The results from the HDDS tool, showed that a greater proportion (54%) of the farming households consumed >6 food groups (deemed to be food secure) as compared to their counterpa…
author: Khumalo, Nolwazi Zanele
keywords: Peri-urban agriculture, Food security
license: https://devspace.unizulu.ac.za/bitstreams/ea7514f3-0228-4b36-a8f4-c1f73720548c/download
date published: 2018
date modified: 2026-07-24T06:17:25Z
provider: University of Zululand
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of Zululand