Pretoria - A staggering 6.5 million people in South Africa, or 11% of the population of 60 million suffer from hunger.
This goes hand in hand with the unemployment rate, which currently stands at 34.5% as of the first quarter of 2022. The cost of living has gone up dramatically, leaving many households struggling to make ends meet.
According to a Statistics SA report, “Measuring Food Security in South Africa: Applying the Food Insecurity Experience Scale”, the female population was more likely to be affected by moderate to severe, and severe food insecurity, compared to their male counterparts.
Stats SA also showed almost half of female-headed households did not have an employed person living in the household in 2020.
“Female-headed households were mostly producing their own food, compared to male-headed households, and households involved in food production have been below 20% in the four years under review,” it said.
Meanwhile, in 2020, 23.6% of South Africans were affected by moderate to severe food insecurity, while almost 14.9% experienced severe food insecurity. This was exacerbated by the severity of the Covid-19 pandemic, during which some people lost their jobs and sources of income.
Employment income, employment and the ability to produce food then became an influence on food insecurity.
Major causes of hunger and food insecurity were said to be related to several factors, including conflict and instability, the changing climate, poverty and an increasing population.
Stats SA said food security meant adequate access to food in both quality and quantity, and people experiencing moderate food insecurity faced uncertainties about their ability to obtain food, and have, in recent years, been forced to compromise on the quality and/or quantity of the food they consume.
“Those facing severe food insecurity typically run out of food and, at worst, go a day (or days) without eating.”
The provinces worst affected by moderate to severe food insecurity and severe food insecurity were the Northern Cape and North West, with 28% and 11.4% affected, respectively.
Pretoria News