Determining the food insecurity levels of urban farmers in the Gauteng Province of South Africa

The main objective of the study was to determine the prevalence of food insecurity among urban farmers of community gardens and their households. A survey was conducted on urban community gardens in the Emfuleni Local Municipality, Gauteng province of South Africa. A total of 254 urban farmers, from community gardens located in six townships in Emfuleni, participated in the study. The Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) was used to collect data. Descriptive statistics, chi-square test and ordered logistic regression (OLR) model were employed for data analysis, using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 26. The overall findings of food insecurity showed that most farmers and their households were mildly food insecure. Food insecurity was prevalent amongst male farmers, those aged 18–45 years, small families (1–6 members), secondary education holders, those with ≤5 years farming experience and farmers who work more days in the community gardens (16–20 days per month). Education level and farming experience were significant determinants of food insecurity levels. It is recommended that intervention initiatives in community gardens should target ≤45 years old females, those without tertiary education, less experienced (≤5 years) and urban farmers with smaller families.