Perpetuation of household food insecurity during COVID-19 in South Africa

BACKGROUND: Perpetual food insecurity has long-term health and development effects on populations. The global pandemic created sub-populations that were newly food insecure, but there exists sub-populations were food insecure, and COVID-19 held that situation. This study seeks to identify the demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of the perpetually food insecure in South Africa in order to obtain specific evidence of populations to be prioritised in the post-pandemic era. METHODS: Secondary data from the South African National Income Dynamics CRAM Survey for rounds (Waves) 1 and 5 are analysed. The study population are those respondents who reported a household member not having enough food to eat in the early stages of the pandemic (1st round) and remained without sufficient food a year later (5th round). The study controls for the demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of the population but also changes to employment status, social grant access and willingness to be vaccinated. Descriptive and analytical statistical tests are used. RESULTS: A total of 26.15% of respondents were food insecure at the start of the pandemic. Of these, 41.09% remained food insecure a year later. The drivers of perpetual food insecurity during the pandemic include unemployment (OR = 2.09; CI 1.335293–3.265678), still being unemployed (OR = 1.86; CI 1.308032–2.636252), seven or more (≥ 7) household members (OR = 1.24; CI 1.1611329–1.610126), those with only a primary education (OR = 1.11; CI 1.5051066–2.434695), participants between the ages of 45 and 64 years old (ORs = 1.03 and 1.20; CIs 1.0171956–1.0171956 and 1.1733304–2.144875, respectively) and women (OR = 1.09; CI 1.0745444–1.406035). CONCLUSIONS: South Africa needs to address socioeconomic challenges and inequalities to assist the perpetually food insecure and to ensure that, should there be a pandemic resurgence, or a new pandemic, individuals and households in the country are in a better financial situation and appropriately supported to avoid food insecurity at all costs.