Do Food Gardens Improve Household Food Security Status in uMzumbe Local Municipality, KwaZulu‐Natal, South Africa?

Although South Africa is nationally a food‐secure country, food insecurity at household and individual levels is unacceptably high, particularly in rural areas, where many households struggle to meet their food needs. To address the food insecurity and poverty challenges in the rural areas of South Africa, the Department of Agriculture has promoted home and community garden programs to increase the food production of poor and vulnerable rural households. Thus, the study aimed to assess the impact of the food garden programs on households' food security status in uMzumbe Local Municipality. The study applied random and purposive sampling methods to collect data using a structured questionnaire administered directly to 223 respondents. A Tobit regression model was used to examine the determinants of households' food security status. The study revealed that total income ( p < 0.001), extension services ( p < 0.01), credit access ( p < 0.05), age, farm size ( p < 0.01), and education level ( p < 0.05) positively impacted the respondents' food security status. In contrast, household size ( p < 0.001), home gardens ( p < 0.01), and community gardens ( p < 0.01) negatively influenced the households' food security status in the study area. The study indicated that the implementation of the home and community garden programs was not enough, in and of itself, to improve the food security status of those living in uMzumbe Municipality. Therefore, it is recommended that land reform, income generation, credit access, and educational and extension services should be considered to expand the performance of the food gardens to contribute more to the households' food security in uMzumbe Local Municipality.