scholarly journals Farm production, market access and dietary diversity in Malawi

2016 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 325-335 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan Koppmair ◽  
Menale Kassie ◽  
Matin Qaim
Keyword(s):  
Market Access ◽  
Dietary Diversity ◽  
Farm Households ◽  
Household Level ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Farm Production ◽  
Recall Data ◽  
Smallholder Farm ◽  
Farm Produce ◽  
Production Diversity

AbstractObjectiveThe association between farm production diversity and dietary diversity in rural smallholder households was recently analysed. Most existing studies build on household-level dietary diversity indicators calculated from 7d food consumption recalls. Herein, this association is revisited with individual-level 24 h recall data. The robustness of the results is tested by comparing household- and individual-level estimates. The role of other factors that may influence dietary diversity, such as market access and agricultural technology, is also analysed.DesignA survey of smallholder farm households was carried out in Malawi in 2014. Dietary diversity scores are calculated from 24 h recall data. Production diversity scores are calculated from farm production data covering a period of 12 months. Individual- and household-level regression models are developed and estimated.SettingData were collected in sixteen districts of central and southern Malawi.SubjectsSmallholder farm households (n408), young children (n519) and mothers (n408).ResultsFarm production diversity is positively associated with dietary diversity. However, the estimated effects are small. Access to markets for buying food and selling farm produce and use of chemical fertilizers are shown to be more important for dietary diversity than diverse farm production. Results with household- and individual-level dietary data are very similar.ConclusionsFurther increasing production diversity may not be the most effective strategy to improve diets in smallholder farm households. Improving access to markets, productivity-enhancing inputs and technologies seems to be more promising.

scholarly journals Production diversity and dietary diversity in smallholder farm households

2015 ◽  
Vol 112 (34) ◽  
pp. 10657-10662 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kibrom T. Sibhatu ◽  
Vijesh V. Krishna ◽  
Matin Qaim
Keyword(s):  
Food Systems ◽  
Market Access ◽  
Dietary Diversity ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Dietary Quality ◽  
Household Level ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Smallholder Farm ◽  
Production Diversity ◽  
On Farm

Undernutrition and micronutrient malnutrition remain problems of significant magnitude in large parts of the developing world. Improved nutrition requires not only better access to food for poor population segments, but also higher dietary quality and diversity. Because many of the poor and undernourished people are smallholder farmers, diversifying production on these smallholder farms is widely perceived as a useful approach to improve dietary diversity. However, empirical evidence on the link between production and consumption diversity is scarce. Here, this issue is addressed with household-level data from Indonesia, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Malawi. Regression models show that on-farm production diversity is positively associated with dietary diversity in some situations, but not in all. When production diversity is already high, the association is not significant or even turns negative, because of foregone income benefits from specialization. Analysis of other factors reveals that market access has positive effects on dietary diversity, which are larger than those of increased production diversity. Market transactions also tend to reduce the role of farm diversity for household nutrition. These results suggest that increasing on-farm diversity is not always the most effective way to improve dietary diversity in smallholder households and should not be considered a goal in itself. Additional research is needed to better understand how agriculture and food systems can be made more nutrition-sensitive in particular situations.

Can food production diversity influence farm households’ dietary diversity? An appraisal from two-dimensional food diversity measures

2017 ◽  
Vol 44 (12) ◽  
pp. 1597-1608 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dare Akerele ◽  
Adebayo Musediku Shittu
Keyword(s):  
Panel Data ◽  
Food Production ◽  
Dietary Diversity ◽  
Food Prices ◽  
Farm Households ◽  
Two Dimensional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Farm Production ◽  
Food Diversity ◽  
Production Diversity

Purpose Emphasis on the potential roles diverse farm production systems could play in enhancing food consumption variety and nutritional well-being in rural developing countries has increased in recent times. However, there are paucities of empirical works connecting diversity in agricultural production and dietary diversity in Africa, and Nigeria in particular. The purpose of this paper is to, therefore, examine, among others, the causal link between farm production diversity and consumption of varied diets among farm households in Nigeria using a nationally representative panel data. Design/methodology/approach Unlike the simple food count measure, the authors adopt two-dimensional indices to assess food diversity, and estimated both fixed and random effects versions of panel data econometrics models with the two-dimensional indices as regressands. Findings Results show that food production system is less diverse with an average farm household consuming fairly varied foods across seasons. All the econometrics models estimated consistently established positive and statistically significant influence of farm production diversity on household dietary diversity. Higher food prices, especially rice and roots and tubers could substantially reduce dietary diversity with the negative effects likely to be more devastating for low-income farm households. The specificity of household being a net food seller had positive, although weak influence on dietary diversity. Originality/value The findings accentuate, among others, the need for strategies to promote farm production diversity, transform farm households to net-sellers of foods and enable them take advantage of food price signals to boost farm incomes as important pathway for diet quality improvement and reduction of food insecurity, malnutrition and related diseases in rural Nigeria

scholarly journals Construction and Interpretation of Production and Market Metrics Used to Understand Relationships with Dietary Diversity of Rural Smallholder Farming Households

Agriculture ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 749
Author(s):  
Eric O. Verger ◽  
Cédric Gaillard ◽  
Andrew D. Jones ◽  
Roseline Remans ◽  
Gina Kennedy
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Production ◽  
Search Strategy ◽  
Market Access ◽  
Dietary Diversity ◽  
Smallholder Farming ◽  
Household Level ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Production Diversity ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Farming Households

Indicators of agricultural production diversity and market access and/or participation have often been used to try to understand how agricultural production and markets influence dietary diversity of rural smallholder households. Based on a standardized search strategy, 37 studies investigating the association between an indicator of agricultural production diversity and any indicator of dietary diversity were reviewed. The characteristics of the indicators of agricultural production diversity, as well as indicators of market access and/or participation, were assessed. This review demonstrated the wide range of indicators; four types and 14 subtypes of indicators of agricultural production diversity were found in the 37 studies, and three types and 14 subtypes of indicators of market access and/or participation were found in 25 studies. While diversity of measurement ideas allows flexibility, it precludes comparability with other studies and might make it difficult to build a robust body of evidence of the impact of agriculture at farm household level on food security, diet, and nutrition.

scholarly journals How well do different dietary and nutrition assessment tools match? Insights from rural Kenya

2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 391-403 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Fongar ◽  
Theda Gödecke ◽  
Antony Aseta ◽  
Matin Qaim
Keyword(s):  
Food Consumption ◽  
Food Access ◽  
Dietary Diversity ◽  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Dietary Quality ◽  
Anthropometric Measures ◽  
Household Level ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Rural Kenya

AbstractObjectiveVarious indicators and assessment tools exist to measure diets and nutrition. Most studies eventually rely on one approach. Relatively little is known about how closely results match when different tools are used in the same context. The present study compares and correlates different indicators for the same households and individuals to better understand which indicators can be used as proxies for others.DesignA survey of households and individuals was carried out in Kenya in 2015. Seven-day food consumption and 24 h dietary recalls were administered at household and individual level, respectively. Individual height and weight measures were taken. Different indicators of food access (energy consumption, household dietary diversity scores), dietary quality (individual dietary diversity scores, micronutrient intakes) and nutrition (anthropometric indicators) were calculated and correlated to evaluate associations.SettingRural farm households in western Kenya.ParticipantsData collected from 809 households and 1556 individuals living in these households (782 female adults, 479 male adults, 295 children aged 6–59 months).ResultsAll measures of food access and dietary quality were positively correlated at individual level. Household-level and individual-level dietary indicators were also positively correlated. Correlations between dietary indicators and anthropometric measures were small and mostly statistically insignificant.ConclusionsDietary indicators from 7d food consumption recalls at the household level can be used as proxies of individual dietary quality of children and male and female adults. Individual dietary diversity scores are good proxies of micronutrient intakes. However, neither household-level nor individual-level dietary indicators are good proxies of individual nutritional status in this setting.

scholarly journals Nutrition education, farm production diversity, and commercialization on household and individual dietary diversity in Zimbabwe

2018 ◽  
Vol 62 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Conrad Murendo ◽  
Brighton Nhau ◽  
Kizito Mazvimavi ◽  
Thamsanqa Khanye ◽  
Simon Gwara
Keyword(s):  
Nutrition Education ◽  
Dietary Diversity ◽  
Farm Production ◽  
Production Diversity
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