Applications of Indigenous Farming Practices and Methods for Food Security Among Rural Communities in Southern Africa: A Review

The world is faced with an alarming food insecurity challenge. Although various strategies associated with conventional farming are currently available to enhance food security, many people still suffer from food insecurity especially in rural communities. This review explored the role of indigenous farming practices in combating food insecurity. We explored empirical data involving indigenous land management in agriculture, soil fertilisation, planting methods, and control of pests and diseases in southern Africa. Various databases were consulted using search engines, covering data from 2010 till 2023. The literature search yielded 15 eligible studies that covered countries in southern Africa except Mozambique and Eswatini. The four land management practices identified were fallowing, shifting cultivation, zero tillage, and minimum tillage. Four materials, namely farmyard/manure, grass/crop residue, ash, and mound from termites were used by indigenous farmers in southern Africa to increase soil fertility. Five crop production cultural practices including relay planting, intercropping, crop rotation, early planting and agroforestry were identified from the eligible studies. A total of 62 plant species were documented for protecting crops from pests and diseases by local farmers. The top three mentioned plant species were Allium cepa, Nicotiana tabacum, and Tagetes minuta, each of them having a frequency of five (5). This review re-emphasizes the longstanding interactions between local farmers and the environment rooted in the need for sustainably managing natural resources for crop production geared towards food security.