Urban food insecurity in South Africa

Food Insecurity in Urban South Africa: How Households Are Coping and What It Means for Policy

Lena Voss in Culture & Society December 2025 • 3 min read.

"A Deep Dive into Coping Strategies and the Urgent Need for Comprehensive Food Security Solutions"

Food security, defined as consistent access to sufficient food for a healthy life, is a fundamental human right. Yet, in South Africa, a nation considered food secure at the national level, many households grapple with daily food insecurity. This disparity is especially pronounced in low-income urban areas, where complex factors create unique challenges.

The shift of poverty and food insecurity to urban centers has been a growing concern since the 1990s. Urbanization brings demographic and economic pressures that can limit access to food, even when it is physically available. The critical question is: How do urban households navigate food shortages, and what strategies do they employ to survive?

This article explores the findings of a study conducted in Bophelong, a low-income neighborhood in South Africa, to understand the extent of food insecurity and the coping mechanisms used by its residents. The insights from this research highlight the urgent need for targeted food security strategies that address the specific challenges of urban environments.

What Survival Strategies Are Households Using to Combat Food Shortages?

The study in Bophelong used the Coping Strategies Index (CSI) and the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) to assess how households are dealing with food shortages. Researchers found that households are indeed using various coping strategies to manage the lack of food.

The research revealed a troubling trend: as food insecurity increased (indicated by higher CSI and HFIAS scores), households relied more heavily on consumption-based coping strategies. This means people were primarily focusing on managing the immediate crisis by:

Relying on less expensive foods
Buying only essential necessities
Sticking to a strict budget
Limiting portion sizes at mealtimes
Skipping meals altogether

These strategies, while helping to manage immediate hunger, often lead to reduced nutritional intake and can have long-term health consequences, especially for children and vulnerable individuals.

Why These Findings Matter for Urban Food Security

The study underscores that food insecurity in urban areas is not simply about the availability of food, but about the ability of poor households to access it. With limited access to land for urban agriculture, households are highly dependent on income to purchase food. Strategies focused on increasing income and reducing the cost of nutritious foods are essential.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n13p100, Alternate LINK

Title: Food Insecure Household Coping Strategies: The Case Of A Low Income Neighborhood In South Africa

Subject: General Economics, Econometrics and Finance

Journal: Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences

Publisher: Richtmann Publishing

Authors: Wynand C. J. Grobler

Published: 2014-06-01

Everything You Need To Know

What is food security, and why is it a concern in urban South Africa?

Food security is defined as consistent access to sufficient food for a healthy life, a fundamental human right. Despite South Africa being food secure at the national level, many urban households, particularly in low-income areas, experience food insecurity due to demographic and economic pressures that limit their access to food, even when it's physically available. This is a growing concern since the 1990s as poverty shifts to urban centers.

What methods were used in the Bophelong study to understand household food insecurity?

The study in Bophelong used the Coping Strategies Index (CSI) and the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) to evaluate how households are managing food shortages. The CSI measures the behaviors households use when they don't have enough food, while the HFIAS assesses the degree of food insecurity in households. Increased scores in both indexes indicated a higher reliance on coping strategies related to immediate hunger management.

What consumption-based coping strategies are households in Bophelong using to deal with food shortages, and what are the potential impacts?

Households are relying more on consumption-based strategies, like choosing less expensive foods, buying only essential necessities, sticking to a strict budget, limiting portion sizes, and skipping meals altogether. These actions can lead to reduced nutritional intake and have long-term health consequences, especially for children and vulnerable individuals. The reliance on these strategies shows that households are focusing on managing the immediate crisis of hunger rather than ensuring long-term nutritional well-being.

Why is access to food more critical than just the availability of food in urban areas like Bophelong?

In urban areas, limited access to land for urban agriculture means households are highly dependent on income to purchase food. Food insecurity in urban areas is therefore less about the physical availability of food and more about the ability of poor households to afford it. Strategies aimed at increasing income and reducing the cost of nutritious foods are crucial for addressing urban food insecurity.

What are some comprehensive food security solutions needed to address urban food insecurity, considering the findings from the Bophelong study?

Given that households rely heavily on income to access food, comprehensive solutions should include strategies focused on increasing income and reducing the cost of nutritious foods. Other strategies need to consider the limitations of urban environments, such as limited land for agriculture, and must be tailored to the specific challenges faced by low-income urban households. Without addressing income and affordability, urban food insecurity will persist, despite the availability of food at a national level.