3 days ago
Many SA households don't have enough food to eat — study
More than 23% of SA households experienced inadequate or severely inadequate access to food, a recently released report on food security has revealed.
The report, Food for Thought: Reflections on Food Insecurity, — which was launched by the Socio-Economic Rights Institute (Seri) on Tuesday, — aims to better understand how vulnerable communities in the country experience hunger and food insecurity, particularly in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The results of the report comes from interviews Seri conducted with partner organisations representing informal workers, recyclers, domestic workers, and residents in informal settlements. The report also exposes the harsh realities of food poverty in both rural and urban settings.
While SA produces enough food to feed its population, the report highlighted that economic access, not food availability, is the biggest barrier. 'Many households may 'move in and out of hunger' during the course of the month as they have to make decisions about food based on their income. In addition to economic or direct access, another way in which households or individuals are able to access food in dire economic circumstances, is through food aid,' read the report.
Low wages, rising food prices, and structural inequalities leave many unable to afford nutritious meals. This not only affecting the unemployed but also working-class families earning minimum wage, the report added.
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