Bhebhe Qhelile Ntombikayise, Ngidi Mjabuliseni S C, Siwela Muthulisi, Ojo Temitope O, Hlatshwayo Simphiwe Innocentia, Mabhaudhi Tafadzwanashe
African Centre for Food Security, School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences, College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg 3201, South Africa.
Centre for Transformative Agricultural and Food Systems, School of Agricultural, Earth and Environmental Sciences, College of Agriculture, Engineering and Science, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg 3201, South Africa.
Sustainability. 2023 Mar 9;15(6):4855. doi: 10.3390/su15064855.
One of the most significant issues faced by many low- and middle-income nations, including South Africa, is ensuring access to healthy, affordable, and sustainable food. South Africa is renowned worldwide for its rich biodiversity and a vast body of traditional knowledge among those who consume forest foods. However, despite ecological diversity, frequent barriers remain to getting diversified household diets. This study sought to investigate the contribution of trees and green spaces to household food security in eThekwini. A total of 280 households met the inclusion criteria and consented to participate in this study by responding to questionnaires. The collected data were analysed using descriptive statistics, the computation of the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS), and the Instrumental Variable Poisson model. The study's results revealed that only 29% of the respondents were food secure, 36% were mildly food insecure, 27% were moderately food insecure, and 8% were severely food insecure. The Instrumental Variable Poisson model results revealed that cultivated green spaces, wealth index, gender, education level of the head of households, and grants had a negative correlation with household food insecurity. On the other hand, non-cultivated green spaces, local trees, age, marital status, number of dependents, and monthly income positively correlated with food insecurity. Given the existence of trees and green spaces in eThekwini, there is potential for food security solutions to be formed around both cultivated and uncultivated green spaces to promote sustainable access to food and nutritious diets in low-income households. Policy interventions should adopt an approach that encourages the incorporation of foods from both cultivated and uncultivated trees and green spaces in people's diets.
包括南非在内的许多低收入和中等收入国家面临的最重大问题之一，是确保获得健康、实惠且可持续的食物。南非以其丰富的生物多样性以及食用森林食物人群中的大量传统知识而闻名于世。然而，尽管生态多样，但实现多样化的家庭饮食仍常常存在障碍。本研究旨在调查德班市树木和绿地对家庭粮食安全的贡献。共有280户家庭符合纳入标准，并通过回答问卷同意参与本研究。对收集到的数据进行了描述性统计分析、家庭粮食不安全获取量表（HFIAS）计算以及工具变量泊松模型分析。研究结果显示，只有29%的受访者粮食安全，36%的人轻度粮食不安全，27%的人中度粮食不安全，8%的人严重粮食不安全。工具变量泊松模型结果显示，人工绿地、财富指数、性别、户主教育水平和补助金与家庭粮食不安全呈负相关。另一方面，非人工绿地、当地树木、年龄、婚姻状况、受抚养人数和月收入与粮食不安全呈正相关。鉴于德班市存在树木和绿地，围绕人工和非人工绿地形成粮食安全解决方案以促进低收入家庭可持续获取食物和营养饮食具有潜力。政策干预应采取鼓励人们将人工和非人工树木及绿地的食物纳入饮食的方法。
