The role of underutilized indigenous and traditional food crops in enhancing rural livelihoods and food security in South Africa

South Africa’s agricultural sector faces a deep economic divide, with small-scale and subsistence black-owned farms struggling while white-owned commercial farms are well-resourced. Despite this polarization, rural farming communities have shown remarkable resilience, which can be leveraged to address socioeconomic disparities. However, in this context, there is limited information on the role of indigenous and traditional foods, particularly underutilized indigenous and traditional food crops (UITFCs). Despite their full significance to rural livelihoods, the agricultural policy has yet to incorporate UITFCs. This paper addresses this gap by analyzing themes related to UITFCs, gender, the environment, and rural livelihoods using a mixed-methods approach, including surveys and interviews. The findings confirm that UITFCs play a vital role in rural farming communities, offering readily available and accessible food sources that align with the FAO’s food policy on food security. The cultivation and use of UITFCs are crucial in addressing food security at the household level while preserving dignity. UITFCs are a critical livelihood strategy for many rural people, helping them improve their socioeconomic status. Therefore, there is a need for these crops to be overtly integrated into South Africa’s national agricultural policy.