Commercializing underutilised crops for food security in Mpumalanga, South Africa

<p dir="ltr">Bambara groundnut, orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP), and cowpeas are underutilized crops that can mitigate food security and have the potential for commercialization. However, they are cultivated by subsistence rural farmers with limited resources for commercialization. This study examined the determinants of these crops in Mpumalanga, South Africa. Primary data was collected by the InnoFood Africa project from 65 farmers and analyzed using descriptive statistics, Household commercialization indices (HCI) and Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) models. The results revealed that the average HCI for Bambara groundnut, cowpea and OFSP were 45%, 50% and 34%. Gender, farm size, yield and input access influenced Bambara groundnut commercialization. Farm size, farm distance and extension services influenced OFSP commercialization. Marketing channels influenced the commercialization of cowpeas. Also, a higher commercialization of cowpeas increased the food expenditure share of farmers. Gender, education, and access to credit influenced farmers' share of food expenditure. The findings have implications for the determinants that must be considered to promote the commercialization of these crops. It is recommended that policies focus on creating an environment to improve the market for these crops.</p>