Rural youth and homestead food production practises in Mpindweni village, Eastern Cape
Loading...
Date
2021
Authors
Qumntu, Mbulelo
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Free State
Abstract
Rural poverty is prevalent in developing countries like South Africa. Ill-development of rural areas coupled with a lack of assets are some of the causes of this rural poverty. Realities like hunger and food insecurity are some of the manifestations of rural poverty. This is despite the fact that rural areas are endowed with natural resources like land. Youth, being the majority demographic group, are one of the most adversely affected population groups in the rural areas. Unemployed and out of school rural youth feel the effects of this rural poverty as hunger and food security become prevalent among the rural youth. The potential of homestead food production is hailed as an ameliorating activity for hunger and a source of food security. This is central in the rural areas where land is available. Furthermore, the availability of rural youth as an unemployed cohort could provide the much-needed human capital for the attainment of food security. Youth capabilities like energies, technology and innovation are generic youth attributes that can facilitate homestead food production. Therefore, this study set out to explore the involvement of rural youth in homestead food production activities. It was undertaken to understand whether the rural youth as an asset are utilised for the attainment of food security as a livelihood framework outcome.Generally, the study discovered that rural poverty is well entrenched in rural areas and that hunger is prevalent among the rural youth. The rural youth are not involved in homestead food production, and this is why hunger is widely spread among the rural population. Data gathered shows that rural youth’s aspirations and ambitions are city-based. It is city-based aspirations that disassociate them from rural land-based initiatives like homestead food production.
Description
Dissertation (MDS (Development Studies))--University of the Free State, 2021
Keywords
Rural poverty, Rural youth, Homestead food production, Hunger, Food security, Food insecurity and sustainable livelihood framework