From Wage Labor to Permaculture: Reverse Migration to Rural Farms Opening: A New Trend in Migration For decades, young people in Southern Africa moved to cities, shaping economic and health systems. Cities offered jobs, education, and services in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, and Gqeberha. However, a new pattern is emerging. Some youth are returning to […]
How Cross-Border Trade Is Reviving Sorghum Migration routes are becoming organic grain corridors—here’s why it matters A Quiet Revival Along Southern Africa’s Borders In 2023, South Africa imported over 280,000 tonnes of sorghum, much of it moving informally across borders before entering formal markets.This shift signals more than a trade adjustment. It reflects a nutritional,
WhatsApp Remittances and Health: The Cost of Feeding Families Across Borders Money From Abroad, Vegetables at Home, and the Economics of Eating Clean A 32-year-old electrician from Harare never thought he would leave Zimbabwe. Nevertheless, economic collapse forced him out. Today, he lives in Cape Town’s informal settlements, working casual jobs. However, his WhatsApp notifications
Namibian Farmers Bringing Drought‑Resistant Crops Across Borders In the arid expanses between Tsumeb in northern Namibia and Thohoyandou in Limpopo Province, a new pattern of climate‑linked movement and agricultural innovation is emerging. Severe droughts and erratic rainfall, driven by climate variability, are forcing rural agricultural households to rethink what crops they grow, where they live,
Migration on the Menu: Kapenta, Food, and Health Following fish, families, and farming knowledge from Lake Kariba to the Cape Opening: A Fish That Travels Further Than People In 2023, dried kapenta from Lake Kariba appeared in informal markets across Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Gqeberha. Alongside mielie meal and tomatoes, traders sold it to low-income
Excluding Non‑Citizens from Food Security in South Africa: Ethics and Policy Opening — A Case of Silent Hunger In late 2023, a family of Zimbabwean migrants living in a Johannesburg township reached out to a local NGO. The mother described how, after losing her informal‑sector job, her children went hungry for days because food parcels
When networks become lifelines: a migrant household in Johannesburg In 2024, a family of Mozambican migrants living in a township near Johannesburg spoke with researchers about their weekly food situation. They reported surviving on “what the group can afford together.” Neither parent had stable employment. Instead, they pooled income and shared staples bought in bulk
Climate, Displacement and Hunger: Why Migrants in South Africa Are on the Frontline In 2023, a household survey in Gauteng found that migrant households in the region had markedly higher risk of food insecurity than native-born households — even after controlling for employment, household size, and other socioeconomic factors. Wiley Online LibraryAt the same time,
Gender and Food Security in African Migrant Households in South Africa Introduction Food insecurity among African migrant households in South Africa is a pressing concern. Over 30% of migrant-headed households have limited access to nutritious food (Statistics SA, 2023). Gender roles shape food access, preparation, and nutrition. Women often manage meals, while men control finances,
Transnational Food Networks Among Somali Migrants in South Africa Opening: Food, Distance, and Survival In a small grocery shop in Mayfair, Johannesburg, 28-year-old Hawa carefully packs a crate of basmati rice, powdered milk, dates, and infant formula. These items are not meant for her household—they are intended for her mother and younger siblings in Hargeisa.
