Food Processing & Technology

This study has assessed the welfare shocks and household food insecurity in Ephraim Mogale and Greater Tubatse municipality of Sekhukhune district, Limpopo province in South Africa. The aim of this study is to identify shocks affecting livelihood at household level and also to determine the food insecurity status of households. Structured questionnaire was administered for data collection. 200 households were involved in the study with 100 households selected from each municipality. All response from the questionnaires was tabulated and processed with the use of statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) programme. Three analytical tools were used to achieve the objectives of the study such as, descriptive statistics, household food insecurity assessment scale (HFIAS) and linear regression model. Majority of households experienced different form of shocks in their households. Increase in food prices, high level of livestock disease, drought, death of a household member and chronic illness such as diabetes, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis were the most important shocks experienced. Approximately 22.2% of households were characterized as being food secure, 32.2% as mildly food insecure, 34.2% as moderately food insecure while 11.4% were severely food insecure. The main determinants of food security from the sample survey were education, unskilled wage labor, grants, pension and disability funds whereby high-level of livestock diseases, illness or accidental loss, death of a household member tends to expose households to higher risk of food insecurity. Policy recommendations are made on promoting education in the rural areas. High priority should be given to industrialization in the district which will in turn boost the rate of employment and also add to the economic growth. Policy measures should be made in supporting people and organizations on how to respond to shocks and stresses experienced in their communities.