This study focused on the effects of the school feeding programmes in addressing food
insecurity in Mutale Municipality of Vhembe District, Limpopo Province. The study placed
school feeding programmes within the wider context of social assistance and a
component for securing food for the wellbeing of Mutale rural inhabitants. The major
problem identified in this study was the inadequacy of governmental interventions,
specifically the social assistance component, to eliminate food insecurity in rural areas.
This failure motivated the researcher to venture into an investigation of the school feeding
programme and its impact, as a social intervention, in addressing food insecurity among
rural citizenry. The study openly delineated various factors contributing to the ruthless
chronic food insecurity which has ravaged many families in rural areas. On the theoretical
framework, the research incorporated the Capability Theory and the Entitlement approach
as the foundational basis of the study. The qualitative approach was used to ensure an
in-depth understanding of the contribution of school feeding programmes as a right based
in-kind social safety net implemented by the government in addressing the discourse of
food insecurity on a rural setting. Respondents of the study included the supervisor at
circuit level, the school principal, educators, food handlers, smallholder farmers, learners
and their parents. The researcher utilised Quota sampling in the selection of respondents.
The researcher gathered data through the use of interviews, non-participant observation
and document analysis. The findings of this study were analysed by organizing the data
and presenting it in a descriptive manner. Literature revealed that the provision of feeding
schemes at schools have the capability to stimulate an enabling environment which can
empower rural families with adequate resources essential for eliminating food insecurity.
However, this study found out that the feeding scheme marginally created employment,
reduced poverty and hunger and increased health and nutrition education among the
community members. The programme achieved minimal results as it confronted
implementation constraints which ruined its capacity to exterminate rural food insecurity.