REIMAGINING SOUTH AFRICA’S URBAN FOOD SECURITY AND NUTRITION THROUGH THE LENS OF INFORMAL FOOD SECTOR: THE CASE OF BUFFALO CITY MUNICIPALITY

The African Food Security Urban Network (AFSUN)survey found that over 70% of low-income households in South Africa sourced their food from informal outlets. Despite the importance that the informal food retail sector plays in food security, it remains neglected by policy support and institutional funding. The paper focused on the role of local informal food markets in addressing urban household food security in Buffalo City Municipality (BCM), South Africa. This paper argued that informal food markets including food vendors have a potential to improve household food insecurity levels but face many barriers. The study sought to identify these barriers and make an understanding of how these local food markets adopt coping mechanisms in meeting their basic needs including addressing household food insecurity. A qualitative approach was adopted for this study. Data was collected from 40 food vendors, particualrly street vendors and home-based enterprises in the township of Duncan, through interviews, observations, and archival research. Interviews included semi structured interviews to gather insights from street vendors, while interviews with city officials provided key informant perspectives. This study’s findings show that households without access to networked infrastructure use informal food markets as: (i) a food source, (ii) a food kitchen and a cookstove and (iii) a refrigerator, to purchase their foodstuff and other ready-to-eat meals.