Food Security Tunnels

Food insecurity is a global problem and unfortunately, our university campus is not excluded from this plight. Recent research findings, conducted on campus, indicate that more than 64% of our students experience periods of hunger or have not food available consumption.

Annelize Visagie, from the Division of Student Affairs who is heading the Food Environment Office at the UFS, confirms that food insecurity, conducted in a recent study with first-year students as focus, found that academic performance declines and coping mechanisms increase as the severity of food insecurity increases. “Students use different coping mechanisms, with an alarming percentage of students (40,6%) using fasting as an excuse to friends for not having food, 60% of students skipping meals because they do not have enough money, and 43,2% of students being too embarrassed to ask for help.” Visagie states that various factors contribute to this alarming scenario, with the main reason being that the majority of students come from impoverished economic and social circumstances. This suggests that although students receive NSFAS funding or any other bursary, it is not a guarantee that they are food secure.

In partnership with Kovsie Act, the Centre for Sustainable Agriculture, Rural Development and Extension (CENSARDE) received a mandate from the UFS managing structures to investigate and initiate possible feeding programs, contributing to the "No student hungry” drive.  

Furthermore, residences on campus are involved with the agricultural aspect of the gardens, Residence Committee members from all the on- and off-campus student communities for the civic and social responsibility portfolios, as well as civic and social responsibility student associations received the necessary training on how to plant and care for the vegetables and are actively involved in this initiative.

For more information regarding the research programme, please contact Dr JW Swanepoel at +27 51 401 9665.