The Association of Socio-Economic Factors and Indigenous Crops on the Food Security Status of Farming Households in KwaZulu-Natal Province

Abstract

Indigenous crops have been proposed as part of a solution for household food security and sustainable farming systems. However, they have been overlooked and underutilised by households and farmers despite their potential contribution to household food security. The objective of this paper was to determine the association of socio-economic factors and indigenous crops with the household food security of farming households. About 260 farming households were selected using a simple random sampling procedure. The food security status was measured through the use of the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS). The Chi-square test and extended ordered probit regression model assessed the relationship of socio-economic factors and indigenous crops with household food security status. The results from the HFIAS showed that farming households were largely in the mildly and moderately food-insecure categories, with 34.2% and 36.2% of the sampled farmers found in these categories, respectively. The Chi-square test showed a statistically significant relationship between food security status and socio-economic factors. Young men and everyone were perceived to be the ones likely to consume indigenous crops. Consumption of indigenous crops was perceived to be associated with food security. The results also showed that farming experience is likely to positively contribute to the food security status of the farming households. Selling indigenous crops in a formal market is perceived to be associated with food security compared to selling in an informal market. This study concludes that consuming indigenous crops is likely associated with improved food security. Identifying an appropriate market for sales of indigenous crops is imperative. Government, extension officers, and nutritionists must conduct training workshops to encourage households to grow, market and buy indigenous crops. Government and policymakers need to include indigenous crops in the national food and nutrition security policy and create formal markets for indigenous crops.

The Impact of Agricultural Socialized Service on Grain Production: Evidence from Rural China

“…Second, the aging of agricultural labor and the rising trend of non-grain cultivation on arable land have significantly hampered the nation's ability to maintain a steady grain supply in the future. In this context, agricultural socialization services can alleviate the disadvantage of the labor force to a certain extent and improve the efficiency of agricultural production by applying advanced production technology and management, which may be a feasible means to alleviate the current pressure of increasing grain production [10,39,40]. Thus, this study uses the China Rural Revitalization Survey database and measurement tools like the 2SLS model, mediated effects model, and instrumental variables approach to examine the mechanism of action and discrepancies in agricultural socialization services' effects on farmers' grain cultivation.…”