Ethnobotanical and econometric assessment linking underutilised fruits and vegetables to food security in South Africa

Underutilised fruits and vegetables (UFVs) have the potential to provide affordable food and nutrition security (FNS) in rural communities. There is an enormous diversity of UFVs that constitute part of the rural diet, and their acceptance is a means of meeting the high food insecurity among households in South Africa. In this study, we assessed the diversity of UFVs and their importance based on various uses. Endogenous switching regression model (ESRM) was adopted to understand the association between using UFVs and the FNS status of households (Simpson index – dietary diversity). In total, 17 UFVs belonging to 13 families were documented as FNS in the rural communities. For the recorded 17 UFVs, the parts/organs consumed were fruits (53%), leaves (26%), seeds (11%), and rhizomes (10%), with four use categories identified. Household size, educational level, access to extensions, and credit facilities were important in understanding UFVs utilisation and how they affect FNS. Furthermore, households that utilise UFVs experienced a 15% increase in FNS compared to those that do not. To combat the increasing threat of FNS in rural South Africa, we recommend a pro-growth food poverty reduction strategy, where interventions specifically target food insecurity reduction. This can be implemented via education and awareness campaign, access to indigenous knowledge, credit, and the utilisation of UFVs for FNS in rural South Africa.