The rural-urban linkage in the use of traditional foods by peri-urban households in Nompumelelo community in East London, Eastern Cape : a comparative study

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to illustrate the challenge of providing sufficient micronutrients to the inhabitants of South Africa. Traditional foods have therefore been identified as one of the strategies that can be employed to lessen the problem in the community of Nompumelelo, Eastern Cape province and the research involves the availability of traditional foods in this area. It is common practice for most rural people in South Africa to include traditional foods in their diets and Nompumelelo is no exception. Hence, the study also explores the rural-urban linkage of the use of traditional foods by peri-urban households in the Xhosa community of Nompumelelo. It could be argued that the traditional foods produced in this community are accessible to the whole community, resulting in greater food sustainability. It is a fact that many communities are of the opinion that food is not readily available, not realising that traditional foods are locally available.