This study set out to determine the extent of hunger and determine how frequently the households of members of an irrigation
scheme in the Jozini area of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa adopted precautionary strategies with regard to food security
compared to non-scheme households from the same community. A questionnaire and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) were
used to collect qualitative and quantitative data from 69 irrigation scheme households and an equal number of sampled nonscheme
households in the winter of 2013. The study compared the frequency of reported hunger and Coping Strategies Index
(CSI) scores. Many households experienced hunger in January and June when children return to school after vacations.
Relying on less preferred or inexpensive foods was the most commonly employed strategy, practiced by 88% of the
households. Feeding working members at the expense of the non-working was the least commonly practiced strategy (21% of
the households). A range of coping strategies were employed, especially during the months of higher incidences of reported
hunger. No significant differences were observed between irrigation scheme and non-irrigation scheme households regarding
CSI scores. Households in this rural location need to be encouraged to engage more actively in home production. Extension
services need to assist in planning these gardens to provide food in months when hunger is widespread. Assistance with
savings and household budgeting are essential to help households anticipate and plan for months of inadequate income and
high expenditure demands.