Analysing the effect of Covid-19 induced restrictions on rural household's food security : a case of Makhado Local Municipality, Limpopo Province

Abstract

The country witnessed a major global economic slowdown and increasing disruption to food supply chains due to the lockdown caused by COVID-19, a global health crisis. The COVID-19 crisis has negatively affected agri-food enterprises’ ability to ensure consistent supplies of food to markets due to forced closures, labour shortages caused by illness, and a decline in operations caused by physical separation and lockdowns. Understanding the effects of COVID-19 on household food security is critical given the need to improve food security, especially at household and individual levels. Given the background information, the study aimed at analysing how COVID-19 induced restrictions have affected rural household food security in Makhado Local Municipality of Limpopo Province. The study was conducted in the Limpopo Province of South Africa, at Makhado Local Municipality. The Municipality comprises four administrative areas, namely, Louis Trichardt, Vleifontein, Waterval, and Dzanani. The sampling procedures employed for the study were purposive sampling and proportional random sampling. Primary data were collected from the 139 randomly selected households using a structured questionnaire with household heads as the unit of analysis. Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS), Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS) and Multiple Linear Regression Model were used to analyse the effect of COVID-19 induced restrictions on household food security. Based on the results, the study concluded that, food insecurity increased among Makahado local municipality rural households during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the households were concerned about not having enough food. The COVID-19 pandemic robbed the people of their constitutionally protected right to sufficient food, weakening efforts to achieve “Zero Hunger” by 2030 under the National Development Plan and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Furthermore, the results revealed a significant unemployment rate and low-income status rate, as most members of the households depended on social grants for income, severely limiting the extent of household food security. According to the findings of the study, employment is an important factor in ensuring household food security. Remittances have been discovered to be a critical tool for many households in the research area, and increased concentrations of remittances can significantly alleviate food insecurity and the implications of income inequality. Policymakers in emerging economies can focus on ensuring job security to mitigate the negative effects of income inequality while lowering remittance transaction costs. The study, therefore, recommends that the government solves this problem by enacting appropriate policies and allocating subsidies to lower-income deciles, allowing essential food items such as protein and micronutrient sources to enter people’s food baskets. More emphasis should be placed on the implementation of feeding schemes to decrease the burden on the poor while also making it easier for youths to attend school. All innovation stakeholders, including rural recipients, must be involved in every step of improving rural livelihoods. A thriving and dynamic agricultural sector is a critical pillar of rural development, generating strong ties to other aspects of the economy. Rural livelihoods are improved when rural communities and individuals actively participate in the management of their own social, economic, and environmental affairs.