Smallholder sustainable agriculture practices for food security in local food systems

Despite recent institutional initiatives aimed at improving food security situations across many countries, the availability, access, utilization, and stability of food, which are widely acknowledged to be critical conditions, are still very uneven. This study clarifies the view asserting that smallholder sustainable agriculture practices (SAPs) significantly influence food security in local food systems. Drawing on the systems theory and literature review, the conceptual review contextualizes SAPs, relating to the smallholders in the QwaQwa region of South Africa, and ascertain whether such practices significantly influence food security in local food systems. Findings suggest that the circumstances of food security in local food systems intersect distinct contributions emerging from SAPs and undermine their widely overestimated potential to predict food security positively. The study demonstrates how SAPs upset food security conditions, identifying critical aspects limiting SAPs to accentuate food security. - an approach under-explored in smallholder sustainable agriculture.