FoodForward SA’s latest national research reveals that hunger remains a daily reality for millions of South Africans, even in households already receiving food support.
FoodForward SA has released its State of Household Food Insecurity in South Africa Report 2026, highlighting the scale and persistence of food insecurity among vulnerable households across the country. The report, developed through an 18-month research partnership with the Southern Africa Labour and Development Research Unit at the University of Cape Town, provides new evidence of the structural nature of hunger in South Africa.
Based on interviews with heads of 796 households receiving food through FoodForward SA’s network of community partners, the study found that approximately 70% of surveyed households experience moderate-to-severe food insecurity. Alarmingly, one in four households reported going an entire day without food, underscoring the severity of deprivation despite ongoing food assistance.
“This study shows, with painful clarity, that the food insecurity many South Africans live with is not occasional – it is a daily reality, even for families who are already receiving food support,” said Andy Du Plessis, Managing Director of FoodForward SA. “Behind every percentage is a household juggling impossible choices between food, transport, medication and debt.”
The research highlights the disproportionate impact of hunger on children, with most children in surveyed households living in moderately food-insecure environments and one third facing severe hunger. Many adults reported skipping meals so that children or other family members could eat, while more than three-quarters said they speak directly to children about the lack of food, revealing the emotional toll alongside physical deprivation.
The report used internationally recognised tools, including the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation’s Food Insecurity Experience Scale, to measure the depth and persistence of hunger. Findings across both 12-month and 30-day periods confirmed that food insecurity is chronic and structural, driven by rising food prices, unemployment and stagnant incomes, rather than temporary disruptions.
The findings are intended to guide coordinated responses from government, donors and development partners. Recommendations include strengthening early childhood nutrition programmes, expanding community kitchen support, providing targeted food or voucher assistance, and reinforcing safety nets to protect vulnerable households from food-related debt and long-term hardship.
“If we are serious about protecting children and stabilising households, we must move beyond short-term relief to coordinated, evidence-based responses,” Du Plessis said. “This report gives us a clear baseline for the kind of targeted action South Africa now urgently needs.”
The report positions evidence-based intervention as critical to addressing hunger, reinforcing the role of coordinated social support systems in protecting vulnerable families and strengthening long-term community resilience.
