2nd Edition of Agriculture, Forestry, and Horticulture World Conference 2026

Abstract

Malnutrition and food insecurity, as a duo, in vulnerable neighbourhoods, create an extreme situation for severely malnourished children and the persistent nature of hunger. This duality can be attributed to multiple factors, including limited access to healthy foods, unhealthy eating habits, and social and economic barriers. Issues related to food and nutritional security are very complex and diverse and include economic stability, agricultural practices, accessibility to healthcare services, and education. Therefore, a comprehensive approach to address these challenges will need to recognize the connections between these components and focus on long-term approaches to improve the quality of life of marginalized populations. The study will look at the dimension of implementation (context, recruitment, reach, fidelity and dose) of both nutrition-specific and sensitive interventions in the Mopani district of South Africa. The research was qualitative in nature. Purposive sampling was used along with the snowballing method to identify relevant key informants and beneficiary stakeholders. The key informants or officials from each of the four departments (Agriculture, Education, Health and Social Development). Fifteen in-depth interviews were completed with the key informants, and sixteen focus group discussions were completed with ninety-five beneficiaries. Most interventions did not have an application-based recruitment for the beneficiaries; most of them identified the program recipients based on their needs and circumstances. The National School Nutrition Program’s dose and the number of food handlers are identified by the program goals and learner registration numbers, respectively. Very few programs were able to identify and reach their intended recipients. It is recommended that a validated assessment tool be developed to assess the implementation dimensions. Additional research is needed within the remaining four districts of the Limpopo Province. Many programs could not measure their reach or whether they had actually reached their intended recipients. The dose was also not adequately measured. The extent to which the intervention adhered to its original plan was insufficient. The context of events and possible facilitators or barriers to program delivery were not adequately examined. Monitoring and evaluation of interventions to ensure successful process implementation is recommended.