Food Security status in the area.

Ekukhwezeni Village  is a rural village situated in uMqanduli town formally demarcated under King Sabata Dalidyebo Local Municipality. The Household Food Insecurity Survey indicates that the majority of the respondents depend more on social grants for their livelihood (54.8-75.9%). Agriculture forms the second largest main livelihood  coping  strategy (38.7-45.2%). However, water for irrigation is still a huge barrier for both household and cooperative agricultural practices.  

Households were categorised into food security categories using the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) . Most households across the district are in the category of moderately food insecure. This is followed by fewer households that are mildly food insecure. We have very few outliers across the district that are food secure and severely food insecure. Household food security is predominantly affected by external incomes including salaries, remittances, grants and pensions. These sources of income are not stable and hence the instability in household food security.