Globally, urban agriculture is regarded as one of the livelihood strategies adopted by poor urban communities as a way to improve food security (Battersby & Marshak
2013). Moreover, it has been reported that urban agriculture includes community gardens in an urban setting (Reese
2014). Ferris et al. (
2001) and Frayne et al. (
2009) have stated that farming in an urban setting has the potential to improve the availability of local food in the surrounding areas. For example, Qiu (
2014) stated that neighbouring communities and farmers can easily source fresh vegetables from community gardens. Empirical evidence shows that some farmers mainly preferred to consume vegetables from their own community gardens in Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines than from supermarkets (Agbayani et al.
2001). In another setting, Wise (
2014) reported that in Australia about 91% of home and community gardeners saved money because of producing their own food. In some African countries, vegetable farming has provided a balanced diet to urban populations and enhanced farmers’ household income and living standard (Allagbé et al.
2014). In the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region, for example in Lesotho, community gardens improved the nutritional status of beneficiaries by providing micro and macro nutrients (Mashinini
2001).
In South Africa, urban farming was neglected and considered as an illegal activity (Magidimisha et al.
2013). Gardening was mainly considered illegal during the apartheid era (before 1994) when black people in South Africa were not allowed to participate in urban farming. However, urban farming has been recognised as a potential mechanism to provide micro nutrients in urban households (De Bon et al.
2009; Richards and Taylor
2012; Rezai et al.
2016). Likewise, Algert et al. (
2014) have expressed a view that community gardens increase gardeners’ intake of fresh vegetables, providing access to fresh, culturally acceptable produce to the surrounding communities. The development of urban agriculture in South African Metropolitan municipalities is an indication that urban agriculture has the potential to improve food security (City of Cape Town
2007; City of Johannesburg
2013). Furthermore, urban agriculture is also sponsored in integrated development planning (IDP) because it is regarded as the fundamental aspect of ensuring that households have access to adequate food (Magidimisha et al.
2013). It is therefore the reason why South African government provide support to food security programmes with the aim of alleviating hunger, eradicating food insecurity and creating income through agricultural initiatives (GDARD
2017). Some of the programmes include the Comprehensive Agricultural Support Programme (CASP), farmer settlement, land reform and South Africa’s Integrated Food Security Strategy (SAIFSS) (NDA
2002). One of the key food security programmes under the SAIFSS is community food gardening. In a study conducted in Vhembe district in Limpopo Province of South Africa, Mudau (
2001) concluded that food security programmes were established to create employment opportunities in the surrounding communities. Vulnerable women, children, unemployed youth, and people living with disabilities were mostly targeted by these programmes; and the support is provided in the form of infrastructure (fences and gates), technical advice, training and production inputs (seeds and fertilisers) (GDARD
2017). It was reported in the White Paper on Social Welfare that the quality of lives of South Africans would be improved if they partake in food security programmes such as community gardens (Republic of South Africa [RSA]
1997). Furthermore, food security programmes are mostly funded by the government and many people resort to them because they provide food and income (Mantena et al.
2017). According to the Gauteng 20-year Food Security Plan, the province aims to comprehensively tackle food insecurity in Gauteng by half in 2030 (GDARD
2011). Although the government makes every effort to support community gardens, some studies have found that gardens do not contribute significantly to household food security. For example, empirical study conducted in Maphephetheni Uplands situated in the rural areas of KwaZulu-Natal province, found community gardens to have not contributed significantly to household food security (Shisanya and Hendricks
2011). Moreover, in Limpopo province, contributions of community gardens in reducing poverty were average (Nesengani et al.
2016). Community gardens in an urban settings contribute to food availability by producing local food (Ferris et al.
2001). As a result, local people will refrain from purchasing food from the supermarkets (Flachs,
2010). Similarly, the study of Carney et al. (
2012) found that community gardens contributed to food availability by producing food for household consumption. Despite the recognition of community gardens as a key intervention strategy to improve food security in urban communities of South Africa; Shisanya and Hendriks (
2011) maintained that there is limited empirical evidence on the effects of community gardens on food security, particularly in urban areas. Studies conducted by Hendriks (
2003); Berti et al. (
2004); Shisanya and Hendriks (
2011) have mostly focused on the contribution of gardens to food security in rural areas. On the other hand, several studies concluded that active participation in urban farming contributes to food security (Juniawati and Hayuningtyas
2017; Salah
2019). While some studies have found that urban agriculture contributes to food security, it may not be the case in South Africa because literature reviewed indicate a paradigm shift in policy directive where urban agriculture in South Africa is now legal and gaining popularity especially in Metropolitan municipalities. This article is aiming at evaluating the contribution of urban community gardens to food security in the post - apartheid era (1994 onwards). Even though food security has four main pillars (availability, accessibility, utilisation and stability), for the purpose of this paper, we will focus on food availability with reference to urban community gardens as one way of ensuring food availability at the household level. Although, literature has shown that community gardens contribute to food security globally, there is still a vacuum as to whether community gardens contribute to food availability in Emfuleni local municipality, Gauteng Province South Africa. This study sought to achieve the following objectives:
Description of the study area
The study was conducted in Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM). ELM is under Sedibeng District Municipality in the Gauteng Province of the Republic of South Africa. The area of Sedibeng District Municipality consists of three (3) local municipalities, namely Midvaal, Lesedi and Emfuleni. Although the area of Emfuleni is geographically small in the Sedibeng District, about 79% of the people in the District live in Emfuleni Local Municipality (Stats SA
2011), and it is a municipality that is highly urbanised (ELM
2018). Therefore, Emfuleni has a high population compared to the other two local municipalities (Lesedi and Midvaal). It was formerly known as the Vaal Triangle and it consists of six (6) townships namely Sebokeng, Bophelong, Boipatong, Sharpeville, Tshepiso and Evaton (ELM
2017). According to the results of the last census conducted in the area, the number of unemployed households declined by 12.5% between 2001 and 2011; meanwhile the population grew by 0.92% during the same period. (Stats SA,
2011). Although unemployment rate declined in the study area, the living conditions of more than one third (34.7%) of the households remain poor. This was also confirmed by empirical studies conducted by Oldewage-Theron et al. (
2006) as well as Oldewage-Theron and Slabbert (
2010) who found that Vaal region situated under municipal jurisdiction of Emfuleni Local Municipality was poverty stricken. Due to lack of employment opportunities, government social grant has become another source of income to reduce poverty among the destitute. In South Africa, social grant entails child support grant, foster child grant, old-age grant, disability grants and war veteran grants and administered by the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) to improve livelihood and alleviate poverty (SASSA
2008). Child support grant is received by poor parents for each child below 21 years old, old-age grant is for people who are 60 years and above whereas orphans receive foster child grant. On the other hand, physical and psychological challenged people received disability grant. The recipients of war veteran grants are South African citizens and residents, 60 years and above and ought to have fought in the Second World War or the Korean War (RSA
2004). Although social grants offer complementary support to the destitute, it is inadequate to uplift indigent households out of poverty (Mushongera et al.
2018). Moreover, it was reported that people in the area are engaged in various agricultural production activities such as livestock (11,7%), poultry (18.4%), vegetables (31.4%), other crops (15.0%) and other farming types (23.4%) (Stats SA
2011). Based on the aforementioned agricultural production statistics, it is evident that there are various farming activities in Emfuleni. Vegetable production is one of the common agricultural activities in the study area, hence urban community gardens were established by government to improve food security.