In the Moshana community of North West, food security is still tied to the land, wild plants and livestock practices passed down across generations. While food prices rise and rural households face pressure from drought and unemployment, indigenous foods continue to feed families and help communities cope when income falls short.
A study by North-West University (NWU) researcher Nthabiseng Maepa found that indigenous foods remain central to household nutrition, self-sufficiency and survival in Moshana. The study argues that these food systems are being pushed aside by modern food habits, weak policy support and the loss of indigenous knowledge among younger generations.
The research explored both plant- and animal-based indigenous foods used by the community and how they support food availability during difficult periods. Women who shared their experiences described indigenous foods as a dependable source of nutrition during droughts, market instability and financial hardship.
“Indigenous foods continue to provide households with food when other sources become difficult to access,” the study notes. “They are part of the community’s way of coping with economic and environmental pressure.”
The study further found that indigenous food practices are linked to community identity and environmental sustainability. Locally adapted farming and harvesting practices allow families to produce food with limited external inputs while preserving biodiversity and cultural knowledge.
According to the findings, indigenous knowledge systems also strengthen community ties because food cultivation, preservation and preparation are often shared across households and generations.
However, the study warns that this knowledge is under threat. Younger people are increasingly moving away from traditional food practices as global food trends and changing lifestyles reshape eating habits in rural communities.
“The disconnect between younger generations and indigenous food knowledge places the transfer of cultural practices at risk,” says Nthabiseng.
The research also points to the limited recognition of indigenous foods within mainstream agricultural and food security planning. Despite their role in sustaining rural households, indigenous foods remain largely absent from formal policy discussions and development strategies.
Nthabiseng argues that recognising indigenous knowledge systems could help South Africa address long-term food insecurity in ways that are rooted in local realities.
“Integrating indigenous foods into food security planning could provide communities with solutions that are sustainable and relevant to their lived experiences,” she concludes.
The study contributes to growing discussions around food sovereignty, indigenous knowledge systems and sustainable development in South Africa, while focusing attention on rural communities whose food practices continue to operate outside formal systems.
Nthabiseng Maepa.
