Towards improving food insecurity in urban and peri-urban areas in Ethiopia through map analysis for planning

In the context of rapid urbanization, poorer residents in cities across low- and middle-income countries increasingly experience food and nutrition deficiencies. The United Nations has highlighted urban agriculture (UA) as a viable solution to food insecurity, by empowering the urban poor to produce their own fresh foods and make some profit from surplus production. Despite its potential role in reducing poverty and food insecurity, there appears to be little political will to support urban agriculture. This is seen in unclear political mandates that are sustained by information gaps on selection criteria for UA sites. The research reported here addresses this issue in the form of a decision-making support tool that assesses the suitability of cadastral units and informal plots for allotment gardens in urban and peri-urban areas. The tool was developed and tested for three rapidly expanding cities in Benin, a low-income country in West Africa, based on an ordered logit model that relates a set of 300 expert assessments on site suitability to georeferenced information on biophysical and socio-economic characteristics. Soil, land use, groundwater depth, vicinity to market and women’s safety were significant factors in the assessment. Scaled up across all cadastral units and informal sites, the tool generated detailed baseline maps on site suitability and availability of areas. Its capacity to support policymakers in selecting appropriate sites comes to the fore by reporting changes in site suitability under scenarios of improved soil fertility and enhanced safety for women.

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Acute food insecurity and short-term coping strategies of urban and rural households of Bangladesh during the lockdown period of COVID-19 pandemic of 2020: report of a cross-sectional survey

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2020-043365 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (12) ◽

pp. e043365

Author(s):

Subhasish Das ◽

Md. Golam Rasul ◽

Md Shabab Hossain ◽

Ar-Rafi Khan ◽

Md Ashraful Alam ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Food Insecurity ◽

Coping Strategies ◽

Rural Areas ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Multinomial Logistic Regression ◽

Rural Households ◽

P Value ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Food Insecure Households

IntroductionWe conducted a cross-sectional survey to assess the extent and to identify the determinants of food insecurity and coping strategies in urban and rural households of Bangladesh during the month-long, COVID-19 lockdown period.SettingSelected urban and rural areas of Bangladesh.Participants106 urban and 106 rural households.Outcome variables and methodHousehold food insecurity status and the types of coping strategies were the outcome variables for the analyses. Multinomial logistic regression analyses were done to identify the determinants.ResultsWe found that around 90% of the households were suffering from different grades of food insecurity. Severe food insecurity was higher in urban (42%) than rural (15%) households. The rural households with mild/moderate food insecurity adopted either financial (27%) or both financial and food compromised (32%) coping strategies, but 61% of urban mild/moderate food insecure households applied both forms of coping strategies. Similarly, nearly 90% of severely food insecure households implemented both types of coping strategies. Living in poorest households was significantly associated (p value <0.05) with mild/moderate (regression coefficient, β: 15.13, 95% CI 14.43 to 15.82), and severe food insecurity (β: 16.28, 95% CI 15.58 to 16.97). The statistically significant (p <0.05) determinants of both food compromised and financial coping strategies were living in urban areas (β: 1.8, 95% CI 0.44 to 3.09), living in poorest (β: 2.7, 95% CI 1 to 4.45), poorer (β: 2.6, 95% CI 0.75 to 4.4) and even in the richer (β: 1.6, 95% CI 0.2 to 2.9) households and age of the respondent (β: 0.1, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.21).ConclusionBoth urban and rural households suffered from moderate to severe food insecurity during the month-long lockdown period in Bangladesh. But, poorest, poorer and even the richer households adopted different coping strategies that might result in long-term economic and nutritional consequences.

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The association between household food insecurity and obesity in Mexico: a cross-sectional study of ENSANUT MC 2016

Public Health Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s1368980021003153 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-11

Author(s):

Rosa Elena Ponce-Alcala ◽

Jose Luis Ramirez-Garcia Luna ◽

Teresa Shamah-Levy ◽

Hugo Melgar-Quiñonez

Keyword(s):

Food Insecurity ◽

Abdominal Obesity ◽

Urban Areas ◽

National Level ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Household Food Insecurity ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Household Food ◽

Mexican Adults

Abstract Objective: To examine the association between household food insecurity and overweight, obesity and abdominal obesity in Mexican adults. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: We analysed data from the Mexican Halfway National Health and Nutrition Survey 2016, a nationally representative survey that accounted for rural and urban areas in four regions of Mexico: North, Centre, Mexico City and South. Participants: Adults from 20 to 59 years old (n 5456, which represents 45 804 210 individuals at the national level). Results: 70·8 % of the Mexican adults had some degree of household food insecurity. This situation showed larger proportions (P < 0·05) among indigenous people, those living in a rural area, in the Southern region or the lowest socio-economic quintiles. The prevalence of obesity and abdominal obesity was higher in female adults (P < 0·001), with the highest proportions occurring among those experiencing severe household food insecurity. Among women, mean BMI and waist circumference were higher as household food insecurity levels increased (P < 0·001). According to multivariate logistic regression models, severe household food insecurity showed to be positively associated with obesity (OR: 2·36; P = 0·001) in Mexican adult females. Conclusions: Our findings confirm the association between household food insecurity and obesity among Mexican women. Given the socio-demographic characteristics of the food-insecure population, it is alarming that prevailing socio-economic inequalities in the country might also be contributing to the likelihood of obesity. Therefore, it is crucial to maintain and bolster surveillance systems to track both problems and implement adequate policies and interventions.

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Comparative market supply of protein from livestock and fish in the selected urban areas of Rajshahi district in Bangladesh

Research in Agriculture Livestock and Fisheries ◽

10.3329/ralf.v4i1.32403 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

pp. 29-36 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Md Mizanoor Rahman ◽

Khan Shahidul Huque ◽

Nani Gopal Das ◽

Md Yousuf Ali Khan

Keyword(s):

Socioeconomic Status ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Seasonal Variations ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Food Production ◽

Resource Base ◽

Regional Variations ◽

Initial Work ◽

Safe Food ◽

Wet Market

The study was conducted with the objectives to determine the market availability of animal sourced foods (ASF) and fish, and their share in the supply of biomass and protein through visiting the wet markets of metropolitan and municipality areas of Rajshahi district, Bangladesh. A preset questionnaire was used for recording the biomass weight of different ASF and fish in every four days interval in March, 2016. It was found that the supply of ASF (beef, chevon, chicken and egg) and fish in the metropolitan markets (80.20 and 35.89 t/d, respectively) was significantly higher (P<0.05) than any municipality wet market in the district (7.66 and 3.03 t/d, respectively). The market supply of biomass and its protein value of ASF were 3.64 and 4.33 times higher than fish. The chicken shared the highest amount of protein (28.19 %) followed by fish (26.8%), beef (26.21%), eggs (11.46%) and chevon (7.34%) during the study period. However, this initial work does not include milk, and the wet market of ASF and fish may have seasonal variations which needs to be explored through further research. In addition to them, socioeconomic status of consumers and regional variations are important which needs to be studied for addressing resource base safe food production help the strategic reduction of food insecurity in the country by 2030.Res. Agric., Livest. Fish.4(1): 29-36, April 2017

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ANALISIS AKSESIBILITAS PETANI PERKOTAAN TERHADAP AGROINPUT DAN IMPLIKASINYA TERHADAP PENGEMBANGAN URBAN FARMING

Jurnal Penyuluhan Pertanian ◽

10.51852/-.v15i2.453 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 15 (2) ◽

pp. 1

Author(s):

Harniati Harniati ◽

Reni Suryanti

Keyword(s):

Food Insecurity ◽

Policy Implication ◽

Random Sampling ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Land Ownership ◽

Stratified Random Sampling ◽

Urban Farming ◽

Agriculture Products ◽

Land Water

Urban Farming is growing rapidly and becoming as a part of the solution for food insecurity and malnutrition problems of urban citizen. But, the facilitation and development of urbanfarming have not been able to overcome problems and pressure faced by urban farmers mainlyaccessibility to agroinput yet. Objectives of this research were to 1) identify the problems ofagroinput, 2) to know accessibility of farmer to agroinput, 3) to analyze the policy implicationto the development of urban farming. The research used an explanatory survey method.Sampling method used waspurposive stratified random sampling. Availability of agroinput andfarmer’s accessibility were quantified using Likert’s Scale. Respondents were member offarmer’s group of paddy agribusiness, sheep, and processing of agriculture products. Thisresearch was conducted in the villages of Situ Gede and Margajaya for intra-urban, and PasirBuncir and Pasir Eurih of Tamansari for peri-urban.The observed variables are land, water,seeds/seedlings, fertilizers, pesticides, technologyas well as labor.Results of the study:1)agroinput that are difficult to access by farmers are land, labor, feed concentrate, fertilizer, andseed.Paddy land ownership in peri-urban is less than 0.2 Ha and in intra-urban areas are landlessfarmers. Outside labor is difficult to access because of itslimited amount or availibility and thewages is relatively expensive. Feed concentrate for sheep rarely available and not affordablebecause it’s expensive. Limited accessibility to agroinput for urban agribusiness and itsproblems and challenge will bring changing policy implication for developing urban farming,mainly for facilitation, development of urban agribusiness model, empowering institusional, andregulatory.

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The Effects of Types of Residence and Nutrition Knowledge on Food Insecurity Status Among Syrian Refugees Residing in the State of Florida

Current Developments in Nutrition ◽

10.1093/cdn/nzaa053_106 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. 901-901

Author(s):

Racha Sankar ◽

Adriana Campa ◽

Florence George ◽

Justina Owusu ◽

Catherine Coccia ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Rural Areas ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Nutrition Knowledge ◽

The State ◽

Syrian Refugees ◽

Exact Test ◽

Fisher's Exact Test ◽

Fisher’S Exact Test

Abstract Objectives As a recently arrived vulnerable population, food insecurity might be associated with types of residence and nutrition knowledge among Syrian refugees residing in the State of Florida. We assessed the relationship between food insecurity status, types of residence and nutrition knowledge among Syrian refugees in Florida. Methods In one-on-one sessions, the assessments of nutrition knowledge and food insecurity were completed in 80 households (n = 80, 43 in rural area, 37 in urban area). The outcome measures included demographics, types of residence, food insecurity status, the levels of food insecurity, and nutrition knowledge. Results Of the 80 households, 20% were food secure while 80% of households experienced food insecurity at different levels. Fisher's exact test showed significant differences between the levels of food insecurity in rural and urban areas, P = 0.02. The mean nutrition knowledge score (42.0 ± 13.6) indicated that Syrian refugees had fair nutrition knowledge. Fisher's exact test showed marginal differences between the levels of food insecurity in households with different nutrition knowledge, P = 0.08. The results of our multivariate logistic regression model showed that types of residence had an inverse significant effect on food security, which remained significant after controlling for nutrition knowledge. Syrian refugees in rural areas had 78.4 greater odds of being food insecure compared with urban areas, odds ratio = 0.216, 95% CI: 0.06–0.777, P = 0.02. Conclusions Food insecurity was experienced by 80% of our participants. It was estimated that Syrian refugees had fair nutrition knowledge. Geographical location, types of residence, is a determinant for food insecurity status; Syrian refugees residing in rural areas are more likely to be food insecure compared with urban areas. Greater nutrition knowledge might increase the likelihood of food security among Syrian refugee households. Increasing sample size may be recommended to support our findings. Funding Sources Personal funding.

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Accessibility of summer meals and the food insecurity of low-income households with children

Public Health Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s1368980016000033 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 19 (11) ◽

pp. 2079-2089 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Daniel P Miller

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Low Income ◽

Urban Areas ◽

California Health Interview Survey ◽

Lower Probability ◽

Geographic Accessibility ◽

Households With Children ◽

The Impact ◽

Low Income Households

AbstractObjectiveAlmost no previous research has examined the impact of the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Summer Food Service Program and related Seamless Summer Option, which provide meals and snacks to low-income children over the summer. The present study investigated whether geographic accessibility of summer meals programme sites (a proxy for programme participation) was associated with food insecurity for low-income households.DesignThe study used data from the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) and administrative data on summer meals sites in California. Geocoding was used to calculate driving time between CHIS households and nearby summer meals sites. Geographic accessibility was measured using a gravity model, which accounted for the spatially distributed supply of and demand for summer meals. Food insecurity and very low food security were measured using a standard six-item measure from the USDA.SubjectsLow-income families with children (n5394).SettingA representative surveillance study of non-institutionalized households in California.ResultsGeographic accessibility was not associated with food insecurity. However, geographic accessibility was associated with a significantly lower probability of very low food security in the full sample and among households with younger children and those living in less urban areas.ConclusionsThe USDA’s summer meals programme may be effective at reducing the most severe form of food insecurity for low-income households with children. Expanding the number of summer meals sites, the number of meals served at sites and sites’ hours of operation may be effective strategies to promote nutritional health over the summer months.

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Social protection for poor, vulnerable and disadvantaged groups

China Agricultural Economic Review ◽

10.1108/caer-09-2015-0123 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 7 (4) ◽

pp. 668-687 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Joanna Brzeska ◽

Mousumi Das ◽

Shenggen Fan

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Social Protection ◽

Poor People ◽

Content Type ◽

Disadvantaged Groups ◽

China And India ◽

Protection Systems ◽

Social Protection Systems

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify the pathways through which social protection policies in China and India can address the key challenges facing poor, vulnerable, and disadvantaged groups under rapid transformation in both countries. Design/methodology/approach – This paper reviews the main social protection policies in China and India and analyzes the challenges that they are facing. This analysis is based on an evaluation of poverty and food security trends in both countries among vulnerable and disadvantaged groups followed by an overview of major experiences and gaps in social protection policies in the two emerging Asian giants. Findings – Improving the coverage and targeting of social protection systems is vital, and will require a multi-faceted reform portfolio that promotes more integrated and horizontally equitable systems. Emphasis should be placed on developing productive, cross-sectoral social protection programs that combine short-term social safety support with long-term tools to enhance productivity, paying special attention to nutrition, health, and human capital development. More efficient coverage and targeting should bridge the rural and urban divide and be grounded in transparent criteria and procedures that govern program implementation at all levels of the government. As both countries become more urbanized, social protection programs need to give equal attention to emerging food insecurity and nutrition issues within urban areas without detracting from food security and nutrition efforts in rural areas. Originality/value – Faced with a sizable population of undernourished and poor people, India and China have applied rather different approaches to address food insecurity. The originality and value of this paper lie in an in-depth parallel analysis of how China and India can better use their social protection systems to address food insecurity and undernutrition among poor, vulnerable, and disadvantaged groups.

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Household Characteristics and Food Security in Low-Income Urban Areas of South Africa

MANAGEMENT AND ECONOMICS REVIEW ◽

10.24818/mer/2021.12-08 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 6 (2) ◽

pp. 263-276

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Food Security ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Low Income ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Household Head ◽

Household Size ◽

Binary Logistic Regression Model ◽

Gauteng Province ◽

Food Markets

In South Africa, food security at the household level is an issue still needing empirical attention. This study conducts an empirical analysis on the effect of household size, income of household head, gender of household head, location of the household, and distance from food markets on food security in the Gauteng Province of South Africa. A binary logistic regression model is estimated to analyze determinants of food security from 900 households randomly selected from three townships of Gauteng Province, South Africa. Data was collected using a survey questionnaire, with food security measured by the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale. This study shows that the income of the household head promotes food security while household size and location of the household contribute to food insecurity. Our results also show that the gender of the household head is essential in maintaining sustainable levels of food security. Furthermore, it was found that the distance from food markets neither makes households food secure nor insecure. This study validates that matriarchal households exhibited comparatively greater food security than male-headed households. The findings of this study are essential in formulating policy on food security in low-income areas.

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The Multiple Benefits of Urban Agriculture

Vanderbilt Undergraduate Research Journal ◽

10.15695/vurj.v11i1.5059 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 ◽

Author(s):

Camille Oldani

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Sustainable Development ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Urban Agriculture ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Local Governments ◽

Agricultural Practices ◽

The United States ◽

Social Needs ◽

Societal Needs

Urban agriculture has emerged as a solution to food insecurity and other issues faced by underserved communities in urban areas. This study compares four urban food initiatives to highlight differences in implementation and success across different agricultural practices. The study also examines the varying levels of support for these initiatives in the United States and Cuba. The comparison shows that different initiatives within the urban food movement meet a unique intersection of multifaceted societal needs beyond the main goal of hunger alleviation. The main intersecting social needs that urban food initiatives can address are food accessibility, public health, and sustainable development. Moreover, different forms of governmental or non- governmental support for these initiatives influence their success and the scope of their outreach. Broader implications of this study include the importance of utilizing urban food not only as a remedy to hunger and food insecurity problems but also as a way to address public health and sustainable development goals in cities. The main findings imply a necessity for local governments to include urban agriculture initiatives in sustainability and food security plans for cities to encourage sustainable development, health, and increased food access for city residents.

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