As South Africa grapples with the rising cost of living, high unemployment and soaring food prices, the number of people who risk falling under the poverty line increases daily. As cities expand, the number of people requiring food increases, many of whom are low income individuals living in townships and informal settlements. As conventional food systems are unable to meet the demands of cities, food gardens are emerging as a solution to nourish communities in urban areas.
The Urban Food Security Challenge In South Africa
While South Africa is food secure at a national level, it faces food insecurity at a household level. According to StatsSA, 19.7% of households (roughly 3.7 million households) experienced moderate to severe food insecurity while 1.5 million households experienced severe food security. 60% of food insecure households are in urban areas. Unfortunately, unlike rural households, urban households are net consumers and rely heavily on the markets to access food.
Food insecurity in South Africa has experienced an upward trend in the last 5 years, which was exacerbated by the COVID 19 pandemic. Stats SA explains that food insecurity in the country is part of a triple challenge, namely poverty, inequality and unemployment. The official unemployment rate for the first quarter of 2025 was 32.9% and it is expected to increase in 2026. With inflation and cost of living also expected to increase, it can be expected that even more households will face food insecurity in the country.
It is important to distinguish the difference between hunger and food security. Whilst hunger refers to the absence of food, food security is defined by Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) exercise as existing “when all people at all times have physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and preferences for an active and healthy life.” Food security is not merely about having access to food but rather about having access to nutritious food.
Food Gardens as solutions
Food gardening has been used by ancient civilizations to sustain their needs and in many ways it continues to do so today. Food gardens can be established on private or public land by individuals, families or communities where they can grow fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs. Food gardens grant low income individuals direct access to nutritious foods that can allow them to meet their daily nutritional requirements serving as a crucial tool in addressing food security. Organisations such as SEED and SOIL FOR LIFE equip low income individual with the necessary skills through comprehensive training programs/ courses and workshops to grow their own food. Food gardens provide essential micronutrients by providing a diet that is richer in fruits and vegetables compared to a more processed affordable diet that most low income households in urban communities tend to have. Furthermore, it can cut down food costs, as growing your own food can be more cost effective than buying it – substantially decreasing household expenses. Additionally, extra produce can be sold to neighbors or at informal markets – providing an extra source of income. Extra harvest can be preserved or stored for scarce periods such as winter creating a sustainable food consumption cycle.
Additional Benefits
Aside from being a direct food source and the health benefits of a food garden, food gardens or community gardens lead to increased social cohesion as community members come together to work on the garden. It creates a shared space for knowledge sharing, collaboration and connection. Additionally there are mental health benefits with working closely with nature. It also serves as a valuable learning opportunity – acquiring the skills to grow your own food is an essential life skill.
Finally, it has a great environmental impact as food is sourced locally and it cuts down on carbon emissions from transport etc., there is generally less waste associated with food gardens compared to industrial farming and lastly it supports urban biodiversity.
References
Industrial Development Corporation (IDC). (2025) Economic Overview Report: May 2025. Johannesburg: IDC. Available at: https://www.idc.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Economic-Overview-Report-May-2025.pdf
Nzira, J. & Tshuma, L. (2025) English SCAT Permaculture Booklet Available at: https://ruralaction4climate.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/English-SCAT-Permaculture-Booklet-2_compressed.pdf
Statistics South Africa. (2023) ‘Assessing food inadequacy and hunger in South Africa in 2021’, Statistics South Africa – Media Release, 2 February. Available at: https://www.statssa.gov.za/?p=16235
Statistics South Africa. (2025) Food Security in South Africa in 2019, 2022 and 2023: Evidence from the General Household Survey (Report No. 03‑10‑28). Pretoria: Statistics South Africa. Available at: https://www.statssa.gov.za/publications/03-10-28/03-10-28.pdf
Author: Wassila Ibrahim
Research Fellow
