Mechanism for Improving the Sustainability
of Homestead Food Gardens in the Gauteng
Province, South Africa
14
Phokele Maponya, Sonja L. Venter, Christiaan Philippus Du Plooy,
Dean Oelofse, Erika Van Den Heever, Charles Manyaga,
Ogaisitse Nyirenda, Phumzile Masuku, and Maritz Mahlangu
Abstract
Homestead food garden (HFG) projects are supported by government which
attempts to alleviate poverty in food insecure households. Despite the fact that
homestead food gardens are seen as a solution to food security in the Gauteng
Province and other parts of the world, the issue of unsustainability and failure of
these programmes after government support ceases cannot be ignored. A household survey was conducted in the Gauteng Province by the Agricultural Research
Council (ARC) and the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (GDARD) to establish a sustainable mechanism for homestead food
gardens. The following objectives were addressed: to identify socio-economic
factors that influence sustainability of homestead gardens; to identify factors
influencing garden availability; and to recommend the mechanism for improving
the sustainability of homestead gardens. A total of 1150 households participated
and were spread as follows: City of Johannesburg (319); City of Tshwane (270);
Ekurhuleni Metropolitan (141); Sedibeng (216); and the West Rand (204).
Quantitative and qualitative designs were used as a questionnaire, and stakeholder discussions and field observations were part of the data collection. A
purposive sampling technique was used and data was coded, captured, and
analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Food
security status was also in line with the fact that South Africa is food insecure
at a household level in contradiction to the national level. A whopping number of
households interviewed were food insecure (860), as compared to households that
were food secure (290). This food security situation is worrying because
P. Maponya (*) · S. L. Venter · C. P. Du Plooy · D. Oelofse · E. Van Den Heever
Agricultural Research Council (ARC) – Vegetables and Ornamental Plants, Pretoria, South Africa
e-mail: maponyap@arc.agric.za
C. Manyaga · O. Nyirenda · P. Masuku · M. Mahlangu
Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (GDARD), Gauteng Provincial
Government, Gauteng, South Africa
# Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
V. Venkatramanan et al. (eds.), Sustainable Bioeconomy,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-7321-7_14
303
of Homestead Food Gardens in the Gauteng
Province, South Africa
14
Phokele Maponya, Sonja L. Venter, Christiaan Philippus Du Plooy,
Dean Oelofse, Erika Van Den Heever, Charles Manyaga,
Ogaisitse Nyirenda, Phumzile Masuku, and Maritz Mahlangu
Abstract
Homestead food garden (HFG) projects are supported by government which
attempts to alleviate poverty in food insecure households. Despite the fact that
homestead food gardens are seen as a solution to food security in the Gauteng
Province and other parts of the world, the issue of unsustainability and failure of
these programmes after government support ceases cannot be ignored. A household survey was conducted in the Gauteng Province by the Agricultural Research
Council (ARC) and the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (GDARD) to establish a sustainable mechanism for homestead food
gardens. The following objectives were addressed: to identify socio-economic
factors that influence sustainability of homestead gardens; to identify factors
influencing garden availability; and to recommend the mechanism for improving
the sustainability of homestead gardens. A total of 1150 households participated
and were spread as follows: City of Johannesburg (319); City of Tshwane (270);
Ekurhuleni Metropolitan (141); Sedibeng (216); and the West Rand (204).
Quantitative and qualitative designs were used as a questionnaire, and stakeholder discussions and field observations were part of the data collection. A
purposive sampling technique was used and data was coded, captured, and
analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Food
security status was also in line with the fact that South Africa is food insecure
at a household level in contradiction to the national level. A whopping number of
households interviewed were food insecure (860), as compared to households that
were food secure (290). This food security situation is worrying because
P. Maponya (*) · S. L. Venter · C. P. Du Plooy · D. Oelofse · E. Van Den Heever
Agricultural Research Council (ARC) – Vegetables and Ornamental Plants, Pretoria, South Africa
e-mail: maponyap@arc.agric.za
C. Manyaga · O. Nyirenda · P. Masuku · M. Mahlangu
Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (GDARD), Gauteng Provincial
Government, Gauteng, South Africa
# Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
V. Venkatramanan et al. (eds.), Sustainable Bioeconomy,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-7321-7_14
303