Institutional and socio-economic determinants of household food security in rural South Africa: insights from Mthatha, Eastern Cape province

Food insecurity is a significant problem in South African rural areas, especially in the Eastern Cape Province, where poverty levels and unemployment are high. This study fills a critical research gap by providing micro-level evidence on the institutional and socio-economic drivers of household food insecurity in Mthatha, a context where existing studies have largely relied on national-level data and overlooked local determinants. The study examined the institutional and socio-economic determinants of food security in Mthatha households in the Eastern Cape. House Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) was used in this study to conduct a cross-sectional survey of 336 households. Results showed that 4.89% of households were deemed food secure, 8.87% were mildly secure, 48.01% were moderately secure while 38.23% were critically insecure. Findings showed that employment, education and household income play a significant role in improving food security. While the aged grant was insignificant, disability grants were strongly associated with higher food insecurity levels. Institutional factors such as government food aid, irrigation, and land restitution programs have a significant role in reducing food insecurity while private food aid was linked with food insecurity. While savings club participation enhanced resilience, the use of credit was associated with higher food insecurity scores, suggesting its use as a distress coping mechanism. The study highlights the need to elevate government interventions, improve agricultural support, specifically, irrigation and increase tailored financial inclusion.