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Food security remains a persistent challenge in South Africa, disproportionately affecting vulnerable groups such as female-headed households. While the country is nationally food secure, many households continue to experience inadequate access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food due to structural inequalities, labour-market exclusion, and spatial disparities. Using data from the 2023 General Household Survey (GHS), this study assesses levels and determinants of food security among female-headed households in South Africa. A Food Insecurity Experience Index (FIEI) is constructed from three indicators capturing household experiences of limited food variety, inability to consume balanced meals, and reliance on monotonous diets due to financial constraints. An ordered logit model is estimated to examine how demographic, socioeconomic, and geographic factors shape household food security. The results reveal that female-headed households face significantly higher risks of food insecurity compared to male-headed households, even after controlling for income, education, employment status, and household composition. Provincial disparities are pronounced, with households in historically disadvantaged provinces exhibiting worse food-security outcomes. Education and employment are associated with lower food insecurity, while older household heads and larger households experience higher vulnerability. These findings highlight the deeply structural and gendered nature of food insecurity in South Africa. The study underscores the need for targeted, nutrition-sensitive social protection policies, improved market access, and gender-responsive interventions to enhance food security among women-led households.

One of the important justifications for the development of the Sustainable Food House Area or in Indonesia called Kawasan Rumah Pangan Lestari (KRPL) is national food security must begin with food security at the household level. Until now, most papers about KRPL have only addressed the impact of KRPL in part or in groups, but this study provides a detailed explanation of the effectiveness of some KRPLs implantation, allowing broad generalizations to be reached about the main consequences. The location is in three east java districts with leading KRPL practices. The data was obtained by in-depth interviews with managers, local government, and affected communities. Researchers also observed the practice of KRPL in the field to complete the data. As a result, KRPL policy has at least some good impacts, such as the existence of KRPL can reduce household spending due to reduce the budget for food shopping and KRPL can stimulate the growth of productive economic enterprises in rural areas. And another important thing is KRPL can be a means of sharing and control between villagers and the village government.