Prevalence of household food poverty in a South African Township

Abstract

This study analyzed the prevalence of household food poverty in a township of Kwakwatsi, South Africa. A household was defined to be in food poverty when its monthly food spending is less than the cost of a basic food basket. A proxy food poverty line was used a measure of food poverty in the area. It was found that about 68 per cent of the sampled households are in food poverty. Higher food poverty rates were found with increasing household sizes, lower educational attainment of the household head and increasing age of the head of household. The results of this study are at household level and provide reference to the types of households likely to be living in food poverty.