Exploring food security and resilience among youth aged 18–24 in Fisantekraal, South Africa
Abstract
Background: In 2017, South Africa, despite its status as a prominent economic force and the most industrialised nation in Africa, had 52.2% of its population residing in poverty, making it the global leader in terms of income inequality. The threat of food insecurity is still substantial
and has defied solutions, despite major efforts to break this impasse in the nation. The paradoxical dynamics of food scarcity amidst abundance only heighten this concern. Despite the fact that South Africa produces enough food to sustain its population and is able to import what it lacks, the country nevertheless has a significant number of food-insecure households, and numerous people are said to be either hungry or at risk of going hungry. In 2017, 24.7% of
households experienced food insecurity, and as a result of the COVID-19 epidemic, this
situation has worsened. This study investigated whether individuals who are more resilient are
more food secure and have better access to food, and vice versa. The study aimed to explore
food security and resilience and to assess the association between the two variables in the
community of Fisantekraal, situated on the outskirts of the Cape Town Metropolitan area in the
Western Cape, South Africa.