Determinants of the Food Security Status of Households Receiving Government Grants in Kwakwatsi, South Africa

Abstract

This study attempts to estimate the food security status and identify the determinants of food security among households
receiving government grants in a township of Kwakwatsi, South Africa. The results are based on a household survey using
questionnaires. A Logistic regression model was estimated based on this data with the household food security status (that is
food secure and insecure) as the dependent variable and a set of demographic variables as explanatory variables. It was
found that about 38 per cent of the sampled households are food secure. The results of the regression analysis showed total
householdincome, household size, employment and marital status of the household head, employment status of the spouse as
important determinants of food security in the area. Household size and the marital status of the head of household were
negatively associated with household food security. The age, gender and educational attainment of the household head were
not significant predictors of household food security status. This study makes a contribution to the understanding of the
dynamics of households dependent on government grants by modelling the factors which determine food security and may act
as reference source for policy planning purposes.