THE CURRENT RAIN-FED AND IRRIGATED PRODUCTION OF FOOD CROPS AND ITS POTENTIAL TO MEET THE YEAR-ROUND NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS OF RURAL POOR PEOPLE IN NORTH WEST, LIMPOPO, KWAZULU-NATAL AND THE EASTERN CAPE Report to the WATER RESEARCH COMMISSION and DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY & FISHERIES by SL Hendriks, A Viljoen, D Marais, F Wenhold, AM McIntyre, MS Ngidi, C van der Merwe, J Annandale and M Kalaba Institute for Food, Nutrition and Well-being University of Pretoria with D Stewart Lima Rural Development Foundation WRC Report No. 2172/1/16 ISBN 978-1-4312-0836-4 September 2016 Obtainable from Water Research Commission Private Bag X03 Gezina, 0031
[email protected] or download from www.wrc.org.za DISCLAIMER This report has been reviewed by the Water Research Commission (WRC) and approved it for publication. Approval does not signify that the contents necessarily reflect the views and policies of the WRC or the University of Pretoria (UP), nor does mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendation for use. © Water Research Commission & University of Pretoria ii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY While there is not much evidence of widespread starvation and extreme undernutrition in South Africa, national surveys provide evidence of multiple forms of deprivation related to the experience of hunger, widespread manifestation of hidden hunger or micronutrient deficiencies and increasing rates of overweight and obesity. Moreover, the co-existence of adult (especially female) overweight and obesity with hidden hunger and child malnutrition raises serious concerns over household food security. Despite a multitude of state, private sector and non-governmental agency (NGO)-funded food security programmes, South Africa is one of only 12 countries in the world where stunting has increased over the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) period.