The impact of post-settlement support on food security among the land restitution beneficiaries in Limpopo province

Background: Food security is a global concern that many organisations and governments work to ensure that people have reliable access to food. The formation of the land restitution programme (LRP) by the South African government was to uplift the agricultural sector to generate employment and production growth to advance food security, and reduce poverty in rural areas. Aim: This article investigates the impact of post-settlement support (PSS) on the food security level of land restitution beneficiaries. Setting: The study focused on the land restitution beneficiaries in the rural areas of Limpopo province. Methods: A stratified and simple random sampling was employed to collect data from 200 households’ beneficiaries using a structured questionnaire. An ordered logistic regression model was used to determine the impact of PSS on food security. Results: The results reveal that 71% of smallholder farmers under the LRP were food secure. PSS plays a crucial role in influencing the level of food security among the beneficiaries. In addition, other factors influencing the level of food security were non-farm business, irrigation system availability, asset ownership, access to market information and farmer association membership. Conclusion: The study demonstrated how crucial the PSS is in enhancing the food security of the beneficiaries. Strengthening and tailoring this support can lead to more sustainable farming and resilient rural livelihoods. Contribution: The results of the article will contribute new knowledge to the literature, extending to policy recommendations or improvements that could improve and enhance the excellent performance and prosperity of the LRP in South Africa.