Small-scale Farmers’ Participation in Agro-processing Activities and Effects on Household Food Security in Gauteng Province, South Africa
Agro-processing is widely regarded as a pathway to improve farmers’ household food security through value addition, income diversification, and increased food preservation. The level of household food security remains low even after the government interventions in Gauteng Province. Small-scale farmers encounter several challenges, including poor infrastructure and limited access to markets and credit, which hamper their participation in agro-processing activities. This raises the question of whether agro-processing effectively contributes to household food security outcomes. Various studies have analysed agro-processing participation in Gauteng province; however, the effect of this participation on household food security remains inadequately quantified. Therefore, the current study analysed participation in agro-processing activities and evaluated its effect on household food security among small-scale farmers in Gauteng Province. The study was conducted in the three metropolitan municipalities and two district municipalities of Gauteng Province. An online survey was used to collect data from 115 farmers using a structured questionnaire. The participants were selected using simple random sampling. Using Stata/SE 15.0, binary logistic regression, Inverse Probability Weighted Regression Adjustment (IPWRA) and Propensity Score Matching (PSM) were employed to analyse the data. The results revealed that 31% of small-scale farmers participate in agro-processing activities, and about 36% of them are food secure. Logistic results revealed that education level, financial support, off-cropping season, and crop diversification enhanced farmers' participation in agro-processing activities, whereas extreme weather events, such as snow, adversely affected it. The PSM results showed that the effects of agro-processing on household food security are robust. Moreover, the IPWRA and logistic regression results showed that participation in agro-processing activities positively affected household food security. The study recommends continued financial support, investment in farmers' education and training, as well as climate-resilient infrastructure to improve farmers ‘participation in agro-processing activities. Enhancing participation in agro-processing activities could thereby improve household income, purchasing power, and dietary intake, resulting in improved levels of food security, taking into account food availability, utilisation, and accessibility. Key words: Agro-processing, Household food insecurity, Inverse probability weighted regression adjustment