Assessment of the realisation of the right to adequate food in the Blue Crane Route (Eastern Cape, South Africa)

Abstract

To assess whether the right to adequate food (RtF) is realised by children and primary caregivers and what actions are required to fully realise this right.A cross-sectional, descriptive study was undertaken using a mixed-methods approach.Rural and urban primary caregivers of children (one to five years old) were recruited if they had resided in the Blue Crane Route (Eastern Cape) for at least six months. Purposefully selected key informants (KIs) involved in nutrition and food security, health or governance participated in in-depth interviews.Primary caregivers responded to interviewer-administered questionnaires (IAQ) (N = 161), which investigated various indicators supporting the realisation of the RtF. Statistical analysis of quantitative data examined relationships between urban and rural participants. Significance was considered at p < 0.05. In-depth interviews with key informants (KIs) examined the perceptions of 11 prominent community leaders. Qualitative data were coded deductively and common themes identified.