Contribution of Indigenous Knowledge Practices to Household Food Security: A Case Study of Rural Households in KwaZulu-Natal

Document Abstract / Summary Overview

Abstract The use of indigenous knowledge is a viable livelihood strategy for poor rural households. A binomial logistic regression model was used to demonstrate the effect of Indigenous knowledge practices (IKPs) on food security. Food availability at household level was used as a measure of food security using as a proxy the maize produced in 100 randomly selected households from five villages in KwaZulu-Natal. The IKPs were identified in pest management, fertility management, weeding, land preparation, seed and post-harvest storage. Households were able to secure food for an average of three to six months, and the significant effect of IKPs on food security was observed. Indigenous Knowledge feeds households in rural areas and focusing policy efforts on finding ways of enhancing and encouraging a perspective shift to that of approaching IKPs as a local source of resilience when it comes to food availability and access, could bring about one of the options for creating food-secure households in South Africa.