Determinants of Vulnerability to Food Insecurity in a South African Township: A Gender Analysis

Abstract

The results of a study reported in this article comparatively analyse the gender determinants of vulnerability to food insecurity in a South African township of Kwakwatsi, South Africa. The results are based on a household survey using questionnaires. A multiple regression model was estimated based on this data with the household food security status (household food insecurity access score) as the dependent variable and a set of demographic variables as explanatory variables. It was found that about 49 per cent of the sampled households are vulnerable to food insecurity. Food insecurity was more prevalent in female-headed households (63.8%) compared to male-headed households (42.9%). The results of the regression analysis indicates that in male-headed households, vulnerability to food insecurity increases with age of the household head but it would decrease with an increase in household income and the employment status of the household head. In female-headed households vulnerability to food insecurity increases with marital status, household size and age of the household head, while it decreases with household income. This study is at household level and makes a contribution to empirical literature by modeling the factors which determine food insecurity in a South African township.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2013.v4n14p311