Zaca Fortunate Nosisa, Chipfupa Unity, Ojo Temitope Oluwaseun, Managa Lavhelesani Rodney, Mabhaudhi Tafadzwanashe, Slotow Rob, Ngidi Mjabuliseni Simon Cloapas
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.
J Agric Food Res. 2025 Jun;21:101883. doi: 10.1016/j.jafr.2025.101883.
Despite calls to increase fruit consumption, food and nutrition security strategies often overlook the inclusion of fruit trees in the rural food systems. Hence, this study investigated the role of fruit trees in reducing food insecurity and improving nutrition security among rural households in the KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa. Descriptive statistics, household food insecurity access scale (HFIAS), household food insecurity access prevalence (HFIAP), food consumption score (FSC), principal component analysis (PCA), and ordered logit model were used to analyze survey data from 305 households. The results showed that only 29.8% of the households were food secure, while the rest were either mildly (36.4%), moderately (27.9%), or severely (5.9%) food insecure. Moreover, 4.6% of the households consumed poor diets, 23.0% of the sampled households were at the borderline, and 72.5% consumed an acceptable diversity of food groups. The ordered logit model findings showed that growing fruit trees, consumption of wild fruits, household size, off-farm income, access to irrigation, access to training, livestock ownership, and psychological capital significantly influenced household food insecurity and nutrition security. The study recommends the implementation of awareness campaigns promoting the planting of fruit trees and the consumption of locally available wild fruits. There is a need for nutrition-related training programs and workshops to enhance awareness of the importance of growing and consuming fruits among rural households. The collective participation of the private sector, government, researchers, civil society organizations, policymakers, politicians, and farming rural households in building awareness is also recommended.
尽管一直有人呼吁增加水果消费量，但粮食和营养安全战略往往忽视了将果树纳入农村粮食系统。因此，本研究调查了果树在减少南非夸祖鲁 - 纳塔尔省农村家庭粮食不安全和改善营养安全方面的作用。使用描述性统计、家庭粮食不安全获取量表（HFIAS）、家庭粮食不安全获取患病率（HFIAP）、食物消费得分（FSC）、主成分分析（PCA）和有序逻辑模型来分析来自305户家庭的调查数据。结果表明，只有29.8%的家庭粮食安全，其余家庭则存在轻度（36.4%）、中度（27.9%）或重度（5.9%）粮食不安全问题。此外，4.6%的家庭饮食质量差，23.0%的抽样家庭处于临界状态，72.5%的家庭食物种类摄入合理。有序逻辑模型的研究结果表明，种植果树、食用野生水果、家庭规模、非农业收入、灌溉条件、培训机会、牲畜所有权和心理资本对家庭粮食不安全和营养安全有显著影响。该研究建议开展宣传活动，推广果树种植和食用当地野生水果。需要开展与营养相关的培训项目和研讨会，以提高农村家庭对种植和食用水果重要性的认识。还建议私营部门、政府、研究人员、民间社会组织、政策制定者、政治家和农村务农家庭共同参与提高认识活动。
