The link between the empowerment of women in agriculture and food security, was investigated in Limpopo Province. Data were collected in three irrigation scheme communities. Respondents were largely food secure, however, empowerment in agriculture and food and nutrition security were moderately associated. This was partly attributed to the importance crop diversification and markets for accessing other nutrient-dense food and the status quo of purchasing food versus own food production. It was concluded that pursuing crop diversification and women market-oriented empowerment by improving farmers skills in agriculture would likely improve food and nutrition security. It was recommended that a more transformative and empowering system that allows farmers to diversify crop production and access more markets be sought. Nutrition education and advocacy would also improve household dietary diversity.

During October, November and December 2011 (when highest sales of Agri-Hub fresh produce are observed), irrigation water, compost, lettuce and spinach sampled from four different farmer cooperatives supplying the local Agri-Hub in uMbumbulu (KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa) were analyzed monthly for the presence of total and fecal coliforms and Escherichia coli using the most probable number (MPN) technique. The pH values for all irrigation water samples analyzed were within the acceptable range of 6.5–8.5 for agricultural use. Fecal coliform levels were <1,000 MPN per 100 mL irrigation water and <1,000 MPN per g of compost. The vegetables produced by Agri-Hub small-scale farmers met the requirements for total coliforms of <200/g set by the South African Department of Health at the time of sampling. E. coli MPN values for irrigation water and vegetables were below the limit of detection. In addition, the farming practices of 73 farmers were assessed via a survey. The results revealed that more than 40% of farmers used microbiologically safe tap water for irrigation and that trained farmers have a significantly better understanding of the importance of production hygiene than untrained farmers. These results reiterate the importance of interventions that build capacity in the area of food safety and hygiene of small-scale farmers for market access of formal value chains.

Smallholder farmers’ social knowledge systems are evolving in connecting key actors within and outside their knowledge systems. These key actors play a vital role in navigating the complexity and the dynamics of organisations, and effectively influence the community. This study identified the opinion leaders of smallholder farmers and measured the extent of their influence on the quality of these farmers’ knowledge of agriculture. Furthermore, the study explored the reasons why farmers choose their opinion leaders. A structured questionnaire was administered to 219 purposively selected smallholder farmers in the rural areas in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Data were captured and analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26 and STATA to run multinomial logistic regression model (MNL). The results showed that farmers participated in field visits and attended farmers’ group meetings to communicate with agricultural advisors and group leaders. In addition, the findings showed that interactions could be a crucial element of knowledge and learning for farmers. This showed that the farmers required a consistent flow of material resources and knowledge. The time and energy spent by farmers building social relationships with these opinion leaders reflected the accumulation of information and resources gathered. Issues related to accessibility, availability and, quick feedback regarding farmers’ problems emerged, which seemed to influence the farmers’ choice of an opinion leader. The language and accessibility to sources of knowledge and feedback were crucial to the smallholder farmers included in the study. Furthermore, the results revealed that farmers’ educational level, farmers who engaged in agriculture for household consumption, and opinion agricultural skills have statistical significance on farmers’ choice of opinion leaders. Considering the findings, it is suggested that efforts to improve farmers’ active knowledge systems and access to the opinion leaders within these active knowledge systems should take into consideration the socio-economic factors that influence farmers’ choices and participation in social systems and social interactions. These findings may help agents develop a better understanding of the dynamics of local communities and the social complexity that shapes farmers’ environments and decisions. To be a progressive and effective opinion leader, constant, continuous assessment is needed to increase leadership skills. In addition, the enhancement of programmes, which will recognise the active opinion leaders within the communities, are needed to strengthen the efforts and impact for more resilient outcomes.

Farmer practices may influence the microbial quality and safety of fresh produce. The increasing demands to create ready-to-eat (RTE) fresh produce while providing potential niche markets for smallholder farmers might be contributing to increased numbers of fresh produce-associated foodborne disease outbreaks. This study determined the demographic and socioeconomic characteristics and farmer hygiene practices of farmers using open-ended questionnaires and key informant interviews. Additionally, the relationships between farmer socioeconomic characteristics and hygiene practices were statistically analyzed. The semi-organic smallholder farmer population and the farmworkers of the organic farm were female-dominated. Tertiary education was a predominant characteristic in the organic and semi-conventional workforces. While the semi-organic and semi-conventional farms relied on a combination of ‘store-bought’ synthetic and composted organic fertilizers, the organic farm owner only used composted organic fertilizer. The irrigation water sources varied amongst the farm types. However, most of the semi-organic farmers did not pre-treat irrigation water prior to use. The irrigation water source and fertilizer type selected by farmers varied and might affect the microbial quality and safety of fresh produce. Socioeconomic factors such as gender and education may influence farmer hygiene practices. These characteristics should therefore be considered when planning farmer support interventions.

Small scale agriculture is a key land based activity for rural women, yet they own very little land. Rural land access is mediated by patrilineal customary law where women have mostly secondary property rights as wives. Consequently their land use security was derived from the family and other means of fostering accountability. As these have been lost with the developments in customary law, what is the source of women’s land use security? Three communities in Limpopo Province were selected purposively; data was collected using a questionnaire, focus group discussions, key informant interviews and observation. Data analysis was through descriptive analyses and content analysis. The results show gendered access land access and secure access for mostly married women. In spite of their insecurities, women are motivated to farm for household consumption. A framework that recognises women as land users and rural development is essential to strengthen women’s land use security.

Understanding the impact of land ownership on household food security is crucial for achieving sustainable rural and agricultural development in developing countries through improved farm performance. Using a multistage sampling technique to collect data from 156 urban farmers, this study analysed the impact of land ownership on household food security of urban farmers in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal Province of South Africa. This study employed the probit model to evaluate the drivers of land ownership among urban farmers, while the marginal treatment effects model was employed to address selection bias attributed to observed and unobserved characteristics. The analysis of food security status reveals varying degrees of food insecurity, with the majority of households experiencing mild food insecurity and a smaller proportion facing moderate food insecurity. Our results show that land ownership likelihood is positively and significantly influenced by monthly income, age, and membership to a cooperative, while gender and distance to market have negative and significant impacts. The empirical results also show that land ownership significantly reduces household food insecurity by 50%. In conclusion, the interplay of educational level, household size, access to water, access to credit, and distance to a market with land ownership significantly shapes food security outcomes. A comprehensive understanding of these relationships is essential for developing effective policies aimed at enhancing food security, particularly in regions where land ownership is a critical determinant of agricultural productivity and food availability.