scholarly journals Measuring household food security in poor Venezuelan households

2002 ◽  
Vol 5 (6a) ◽  
pp. 851-857 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paulina A Lorenzana ◽  
Carmen Mercado

AbstractObjective:To validate abbreviated methods that estimate food security level among poor communities in Caracas, Venezuela.Design:Two independent cross-sectional studies were undertaken to internally and externally validate simple quantitative/qualitative methods. The quantitative measure was constructed from data on household food availability, gathered using the list-recall method. It is a count of the foods that explain 85% or more of household energy availability. The qualitative measure is a score of female-perceived food insecurity level estimated with a modified ‘hunger index’, reflecting food resource constraints and hunger experiences within the home. Socio-economic and food behaviour data that may predict household food security (HFS) levels were gathered. The second study was repeated a year later to measure the impact of an increase in the minimum wage on HFS levels.Setting:Two poor urban communities in Caracas, Venezuela.Subjects:All households in both communities that complied with selection criteria (poor and very poor families that share food resources) and were willing to participate. The sample comprised 238 and 155 female household food managers in the two communities.Results:In 1995, data from females in 238 urban poor households provided evidence for the overall validity of the method. Its application in 1997 to 155 households in the other community gave support to the external validity of the method. Measures were repeated in 1998 on 133 subjects of the above sample, when the minimum wage was increased by 23%. Evidence is presented showing the sensitivity of the method to changes in the determinants of HFS. Data analysed during these three periods suggest that the method can be simplified further by using the food diversity score instead of the quantitative measure since these variables correlate highly with one another (r ≥ 0:854).Conclusions:This simple method is a valid and precise measure of food security among poor urban households in Caracas. The qualitative/quantitative measures complement each other as they capture different dimensions of HFS.

Author(s):  
Shridhar Patil ◽  
Ravindra Kumar Sohane ◽  
Ajoy Kumar Singh

In India, Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP) aims to bridge the gap between the Schedule Tribes (STs) and the general population with respect to all socio-economic development indicators in a time-bound manner.  Ensuring household food security is one such issue area covered under TSP. The present study was conducted in the year 2019 to assess the impact of Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP) project interventions on the household food insecurity of tribal communities in the selected project area of Bihar. The ex-post-facto research design was adopted to assess the impact. Data was collected from a random sample of 120 project beneficiary households, drawn from a population of 1200 project beneficiary households, using semi-structured interview schedule. Findings of the study revealed that TSP project interventions have made significant impact on the household food security level among tribal communities. The major impact was observed on the diversity of food and its quality. However, sizeable impact was also observed on the households’ anxiety for food and the quantity of food consumption as well.


BMC Nutrition ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Milagro Escobar ◽  
Andrea DeCastro Mendez ◽  
Maria Romero Encinas ◽  
Sofia Villagomez ◽  
Janet M. Wojcicki

Abstract Background Food insecurity impacts nearly one-in-four Latinx households in the United States and has been exacerbated by the novel coronavirus or COVID-19 pandemic. Methods We examined the impact of COVID-19 on household and child food security in three preexisting, longitudinal, Latinx urban cohorts in the San Francisco Bay Area (N = 375 households, 1875 individuals). Households were initially recruited during pregnancy and postpartum at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital (ZSFG) and UCSF Benioff prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. For this COVID-19 sub-study, participants responded to a 15-min telephonic interview. Participants answered 18 questions from the US Food Security Food Module (US HFSSM) and questions on types of food consumption, housing and employment status, and history of COVID-19 infection as per community or hospital-based testing. Food security and insecurity levels were compared with prior year metrics. Results We found low levels of household food security in Latinx families (by cohort: 29.2%; 34.2%; 60.0%) and child food security (56.9%, 54.1%, 78.0%) with differences between cohorts explained by self-reported levels of education and employment status. Food security levels were much lower than those reported previously in two cohorts where data had been recorded from prior years. Reported history of COVID-19 infection in households was 4.8% (95% Confidence Interval (CI); 1.5–14.3%); 7.2% (95%CI, 3.6–13.9%) and 3.5% (95%CI, 1.7–7.2%) by cohort and was associated with food insecurity in the two larger cohorts (p = 0.03; p = 0.01 respectively). Conclusions Latinx families in the Bay Area with children are experiencing a sharp rise in food insecurity levels during the COVID-19 epidemic. Food insecurity, similar to other indices of poverty, is associated with increased risk for COVID-19 infection. Comprehensive interventions are needed to address food insecurity in Latinx populations and further studies are needed to better assess independent associations between household food insecurity, poor nutritional health and risk of COVID-19 infection.


2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 191
Author(s):  
Suharyanto Suharyanto

Household food security level essentially is the ability of households meet food sufficiency. These capabilities are greatly influenced by many complex factors, but  generally  associated  with  changes  in  behavioral  aspects  of  food  production, consumption and allocation of households resources. The purpose of this study was to analyze  the  level  of  household  food  security  based  on  low  land  rice  irrigated.  The study was conducted in three districts of rice production center in the province of Bali in 2012, i.e. Tabanan district, Gianyar and Buleleng. Data collection was conducted through interviews with 216 respondents. Household food security was measured by cross classification of the share of food expenditure and consumption of energy. The results  of  the  analysis  showed  58.33  %  of  households  have  a  lower  share  of  food expenditure  and  41.67%  household  have  higher  share  of  food  expenditure.  In aggregate  86.57%  of  farm  households  is  quite  in  consuming  energy  and  13.43% is less  in  energy  consume.  The  level  of  household  food  security  of  farmers  in  the aggregate 49.07% of the household were categorized as secure, 37.9% as vulnerable, 8.79% as insufficient, and 4.17% as insecure. There is a correlation between the level of  household food  security  with  age  of  housewife,  level  of  education,  farm  size  and household income.


Author(s):  
Never Mujere

Concerns of food and environmental security have increased enormously in recent years due to the vagaries of climate change and variability. Efforts to promote food security and environmental sustainability often reinforce each other and enable farmers to adapt to and mitigate the impact of climate change and other stresses. Some of these efforts are based on appropriate technologies and practices that restore natural ecosystems and improve the resilience of farming systems, thus enhancing food security. Climate smart agriculture (CSA) principles, for example, translate into a number of locally-devised and applied practices that work simultaneously through contextualised crop-soil-water-nutrient-pest-ecosystem management at a variety of scales. The purpose of this paper is to review concisely the current state-of-the-art literature and ascertain the potential of the Pfumvudza concept to enhance household food security, climate change mitigation and adaptation as it is promoted in Zimbabwe. The study relied heavily on data from print and electronic media. Datasets pertaining to carbon, nitrous oxide and methane storage in soils and crop yield under zero tillage and conventional tillage were compiled. Findings show that, compared to conventional farming, Pfumvudza has great potential to contribute towards household food security and reducing carbon emissions if implemented following the stipulated recommendations. These include among others, adequate land preparation and timely planting and acquiring inputs. However, nitrous oxide emissions tend to increase with reduced tillage and, the use of artificial fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides is environmentally unfriendly.


2015 ◽  
Vol 18 (14) ◽  
pp. 2643-2653 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariana Chilton ◽  
Molly Knowles ◽  
Jenny Rabinowich ◽  
Kimberly T Arnold

AbstractObjectiveAdverse childhood experiences, including abuse, neglect and household instability, affect lifelong health and economic potential. The present study investigates how adverse childhood experiences are associated with food insecurity by exploring caregivers’ perceptions of the impact of their childhood adversity on educational attainment, employment and mental health.DesignSemi-structured audio-recorded in-person interviews that included (i) quantitative measures of maternal and child health, adverse childhood experiences (range: 0–10) and food security using the US Household Food Security Survey Module; and (ii) qualitative audio-recorded investigations of experiences with abuse, neglect, violence and hunger over participants’ lifetimes.SettingHouseholds in Philadelphia, PA, USA.SubjectsThirty-one mothers of children <4 years old who reported low or very low household food security.ResultsTwenty-one caregivers (68 %) reported four or more adverse childhood experiences, and this severity was significantly associated with reports of very low food security (Fisher’s exact P=0·021). Mothers reporting emotional and physical abuse were more likely to report very low food security (Fisher’s exact P=0·032). Qualitatively, participants described the impact of childhood adverse experiences with emotional and physical abuse/neglect, and household substance abuse, on their emotional health, school performance and ability to maintain employment. In turn, these experiences negatively affected their ability to protect their children from food insecurity.ConclusionsThe associations between mothers’ adverse experiences in childhood and reports of current household food security should inspire researchers, advocates and policy makers to comprehensively address family hardship through greater attention to the emotional health of caregivers. Programmes meant to address nutritional deprivation and financial hardship should include trauma-informed approaches that integrate behavioural interventions.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 92
Author(s):  
Arnati Wulansari

Chronic Energy Deficiency (CED) is the impact of poor nutritional status of pregnant women. One of determining factors that influence the nutritional status is household food security. The purpose of this study was to determine household food security and incidence of CED in pregnant women’s Suku Anak Dalam in Bungku Village Batanghari Regency. This study used crossectional study design and using a total sampling of 31 pregnant women. Measuring instruments using questionnaires and CED measured using CUA ribbon and energy intake 2x24 hours measuredby recall. Data analysis were used univariate and bivariate (spearman test). The results showed that the majority of respondent experienced the risk of CED(67.7%). As many as 45.2% household experienced food shortages. Most of respondent who experienced food shortages also have risk of CED was 25.8%. The results showed an correlation between food security and risk of CED (P<0.05). 


2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 69-84
Author(s):  
Sriyoto Sriyoto ◽  
Irnad Irnad ◽  
Bambang Sumantri ◽  
Basuki Sigit Priyono

Food security in Indonesia has become a central issue in agricultural development and national development. The problem of food and food security cannot be separated from the context of rice. This is because rice is a staple food consumed by almost all Indonesians. Thus, the availability of rice is an important factor in strengthening national food security. The level of national food security, regional food security must be followed by the achievement of the level of resilience of villages, households and individuals. The role and performance of rice agribusiness institutions are important in the effort to achieve household food security for rice farmers. The objectives of this research are: 1) to analyze the food security level of farmers household; 2) to identify the determinants of food security level; 3) identifying the level of food security with the institutional performance of rice agribusiness. The results of this study indicate that the level of household food security is categorized as food resistance, the determinants of the level of food security are influenced by the number of family members and the income of rice farming. The food resistance category was followed by the institutional performance of PT. Pusri is very good, PT. Pertani is good, Bank of BRI is good, and farmer group institutions are moderate.


2016 ◽  
Vol 55 (4I-II) ◽  
pp. 561-588 ◽  
Author(s):  
Munir Ahmad Gattoo ◽  
Ghulam Mustafa ◽  
Muhammad Iqbal

The study used data from 3298 food crop growers in Pakistan. Potential outcome treatment effects model was applied to evaluate the impact of adaptations on household food security. A household Food Security Index (FSI) was constructed applying Principle Component Analysis (PCA). Adaptation strategies employed by the farmers in response to climate change were categorised into four groups namely: changes in sowing time (C1); input intensification (C2); water and soil conservation (C3); and changes in varieties (C4). Out of 15 mutually exclusive combinations constructed for evaluation, only 7 combinations were considered for estimating the treatment effects models because of limited number of observations in other cases. Results of only two of the 7 are discussed in the paper, as the other 5 had very small number of adapters and the impact measures shown either insignificant results or had opposite signs. The first (C1234) combined all the four, while the second (C234) combined the last three strategies. The results suggest that the households which adapted to climate changes were statistically significantly more food secure as compared to those who did not adapt. The results further show that education of the male and female heads, livestock ownership, the structure of house—both bricked and having electricity facility, crops diversification, and non-farm income are among the factors, which raise the food security of farm households and their impacts are statistically significant. The variables which are significantly negatively associated with the food security levels include age of the head of household, food expenditure management, households having less than 12.5 acres of land— defined as marginal (cultivate 6.25 to 12.5 acres). Farmers of cotton-wheat, rice-wheat, and rain-fed cropping systems are found to be more food secure as compared to the farmers working in the mixed cropping systems where farm holdings are relatively small and high use of tube-well water adding to salinity of soils. It is crucial to invest in the development of agricultural technological packages, addressing issues of climate change relevant to different ecologies and farming systems; improve research-extension-farmer linkages; enhance farmers‘ access to new technologies; improve rural infrastructure; development of weather information system linking meteorological department, extension and farmers; and establishment of targeted food safety nets as well as farm subsidy programs for marginal farm households.


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