As SA braces for the possible effects of El Nino, growing food at home could help households protect their grocery budgets and improve access to nutritious meals if drought puts pressure on food supplies.
For families already struggling with the rising cost of living, reduced harvests could mean more expensive groceries, while farming households risk losing income as water shortages and high temperatures threaten agricultural production.
EThekwini Municipality is urging residents to prepare by establishing household and community food gardens, growing drought-resistant crops and reducing food waste.
“Establish household and community food gardens,” the municipality advised.
It also encouraged residents to “Grow drought-resistant vegetables and crops” as part of efforts to strengthen local food production and improve food security.
Which drought-resistant crops can South Africans grow?
Several crops can tolerate dry conditions better than others, offering households and farmers options for diversifying food production when rainfall is unreliable. These include:
Sorghum: A heat- and drought-tolerant grain used for porridge, other foods and animal feed.
Pearl millet: A cereal suited to hot, dry conditions that can provide food and livestock feed.
Cowpeas: A protein-rich legume whose leaves and seeds can be eaten. They can also improve soil fertility by fixing nitrogen.
Bambara groundnuts: An indigenous African legume that provides protein and other nutrients and can grow in challenging conditions.
Amaranth: A leafy vegetable and grain crop that can provide nutritious food and has a relatively short growing period.
Groundnuts: A source of edible seeds that can provide food and income, although severe water stress can affect yields.
Lablab beans: A legume that can be grown for food or animal feed, depending on the variety.
Sweet potatoes: A source of energy and nutrients that can tolerate some water-limited conditions, depending on the variety and growing stage.
Spider plant: An indigenous leafy vegetable that can diversify household diets.
Jew’s mallow: A leafy vegetable that offers another option for diversifying food production.
Marama bean: An indigenous African legume adapted to dry environments.
Tef: A small-grained cereal that can be considered for suitable growing conditions.
Wild watermelon: An indigenous plant associated with traditional food uses and adaptation to dry environments.
The suitability of each crop varies according to rainfall, soil type, location and growing conditions. Drought tolerance does not mean a plant can survive indefinitely without water.
IOL