The effects of poverty on female-headed household food security: a case of Ga-Ramokgopa village, Limpopo Province, South Africa

Abstract

The primary objective of this study is to analyse the effects of poverty on the food security of female-headed households in Ga-Ramokgopa village, Limpopo Province, South Africa. The study adopts a convergent parallel mixed-methods design. Quantitative data were collected through a structured household survey administered to 114 female-headed households, using the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) to assess the prevalence and severity of food insecurity. Qualitative data were generated through in-depth interviews, focus group discussions with female household heads, and key informant interviews with government officials, community leaders, and civil society actors. Quantitative data were analysed using SPSS, and qualitative data were analysed thematically. The findings reveal that poverty and food insecurity are widespread and structurally embedded among female-headed households in Ga-Ramokgopa, with nearly three-quarters of households experiencing some level of food insecurity. While households employ coping strategies such as social grants, informal borrowing, and community support, these measures sustain short-term survival but deepen long-term vulnerability. The study concludes that food insecurity among female-headed households reflects systemic entitlement failures and calls for integrated, gender-responsive food security, social protection, and rural development interventions that prioritise access, nutrition, stability, and dignity.