Agricultural Projects and Food Security in the Post-1994 Democratic Government in Rural South Africa

Abstract

The purpose of the paper is to investigate the relationship between agricultural projects and food security in rural South Africa on the post-1994 democratic government. Food insecurity has been a major problem affecting poor people in developing countries. This is a result and effect of some ill-planning of strategies that should facilitate food security. In the case of South Africa, the estimation of poverty show that the proportion of people living in poverty has not changed significantly over the years. However, those households living in poverty have continued to be vulnerable in poverty situation. On the post-1994 democratic government, agricultural projects were introduced as a mechanism of alleviating poverty and food insecurity in rural areas. Most households adopt the agricultural projects to acquire adequate food. However, there are many challenges encountered while practicing agricultural projects. Agricultural projects have been widely promoted as a solution to food insecurity, but its relationship on food security has not been measured in rural areas. The paper discusses the types of agricultural projects practiced food in rural South Africa. The paper also discusses the theoretical background of food security in the democratic South Africa. The paper further discusses the status as well as policies and legislations of food security in South Africa. The paper concludes that although agricultural projects have been initiated as a mechanism of acquiring food in rural households, much is still needed to be done in improving such projects to acquire adequate food.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n16p647