Rising hunger: Stats SA sounds alarm on food insecurity

Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) has reported that South Africa is struggling with challenges in accessing safe and nutritious food. The report also highlights that affordability remains a significant barrier, preventing many households from accessing food.

The report analyses various aspects influencing the food security status of households, such as participation in agricultural activities.

“The proportion of households in South Africa that experienced moderate to severe food insecurity was estimated at 15.8% in 2019, 16.2% in 2022, and 19.7% in 2023. Over this period, the proportion of households that experienced severe food insecurity was estimated to be 6.4%, 7.5%, and 8.0% respectively,” the report stated.

Struggle to afford food

According to the report, households who experienced severe food insecurity followed a similar upward path, rising 17.2% (1.1 percentage points) from 6.4% in 2019 to 7.5% in 2022 and 6.7% (0.5 percentage points) from 7.5% in 2022 to 8,0% in 2023.

“The prevalence of moderate to severe food insecurity in the Northern Cape was estimated at 26.3% in 2019, which increased by 14.8% (3.9 percentage points) to 30.2% in 2022. This was followed by North West and Mpumalanga, which displayed a similar upward trajectory at 29.7% and 26.6% respectively for 2023.

Related stories

“Limpopo was the province with the lowest proportion of households who experienced moderate to severe food insecurity at 5.0% (2019), 3.6% (2022) and 5.7% (2023), as well as the lowest household prevalence of severe food insecurity at 2.0% (2019), 1.4% (2022) and 2.1% (2023),” the report stated.

Farming the answer to food insecurity

Stats SA stated that to address the growing concern of food insecurity, agricultural activities are believed to be a viable solution for improving access to food.

“This could be explained by households not involved in agricultural activities accessing their food mainly from other sources that are more efficient than own production.

“Households not involved in agricultural activities and affected by severe food insecurity had lower prevalence rates estimated at 6.3% in 2019, 7.0% in 2022, and 7.5% in 2023.”

The report further highlighted that one out of four households that resided in traditional areas were affected by moderate to severe food insecurity in 2023, which was also the highest across all settlement types.

“In terms of severe food insecurity, about 10.8% of households residing in traditional areas experienced this food insecurity category which was also the highest relative to the other types of settlement,” the report stated.

A wake-up call to act

Northern Cape Saamtrek Saamwerk chairperson Sehularo Sehularo said the statistics are concerning and need urgent attention from the government and communities.

“We do know that in our province there are regions that are struggling to even establish a food garden because simply there are no means, the weather patterns are not allowing because of drought, which leads to food insecurity.

“The stats are a wake-up call to ourselves that it cannot be business as usual, the numbers are there for everyone to see they are going up. We need to act,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group programme coordinator, Mervyn Abrahams, said the national picture of household affordability constraints and how families living on low incomes are responding to a deepening financial and economic crisis – given rising expenditure costs, job losses, stagnant employment, and a deepening food crisis – is scary.

“The high cost of core staple foods results in a lot of proper nutritious food being removed off the family plates. The consequences of high costs on the core foods have a negative impact on overall household health and well-being, and child development,” he said.

Sign up for Mzansi Today: Your daily take on the news and happenings from the agriculture value chain.