Households' Access to Nutritious Foods in Dysselsdorp, Western Cape Province of South Africa

South Africa ranks among the highest among developing countries with household food insecurity and income inequality. This study aimed to determine households’ access to nutritious foods in Dysselsdorp in the Western Cape province of South Africa. A sample of 100 households from Dysselsdorp that were engaged with students enrolled in the Programme of Household Food Security (PHFS), which is a six-months short learning programme from the University of South Africa. Quantitative and qualitative methods consisting of focus groups and a baseline questionnaire were used to gather socio-demographic information, food utilisation, availability and accessibility. The socio-demographic results indicated that households had an average size of 5, with most of the respondents (54%) above the age of 50. About 15% of the household heads had no schooling, while 54% only completed primary grade (grade 7) and 31% completed grades 8 to 12. Women had greater responsibility for food-related activities than men, while gardening activities were shared by all household members. All the households produced fruit and/or vegetables from their gardens but the consumption of these was low 5%, while 10% produced livestock. The results from the Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS) and food frequencies indicate that households have access to food, on average, six food groups were fairly consumed from the 12 food groups, this makes the households food secure. The households’ diet was high in starchy food and protein, followed by vegetables. Vegetable consumption frequencies included pumpkin (38), carrots (38), onions (35), cabbage (35) and tomatoes (32). A low consumption of dairy and dairy products (30) and of green leafy vegetables was noted. Households with many members, low levels of education, and unemployment are more likely to experience poverty and food insecurity. With no formal education, it limits their ability to access more employment opportunities, and the households will struggle to meet their basic needs or improve their living conditions. Lack of diet diversity and low fruits and vegetables consumption indicate a greater risk of micronutrient deficiencies and poor overall health among these households. Therefore, this study recommends new multidisciplinary programmes in Dysselsdorp, which include the element of nutrition education and food production. These initiatives could be in the form of continuous workshops on food production, food preparations and healthy eating. Key words: Dietary diversity, food access, food gardens, household food security