Measures of Food Insecurity at the Household Level*

Background: Food waste and food insecurity may co-exist in various balances in developing and developed countries. This study aimed to explore the levels of food waste and food insecurity, the factors associated with them, and their relationships at the household and individual levels in Saudi Arabia. Methods: This study was a nationwide cross-sectional survey conducted via computer-assisted phone interviews in January 2021. Quota sampling was utilized to generate balanced distributions of participants by gender across all the administrative regions of Saudi Arabia. Data collection included household demographics, food waste and disposal, the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES), and the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS). Results: Out of the 2807 potential participants contacted, 2454 (87.4%) completed the interview. The mean age was 31.4 (SD = 11.7; range = 18–99) and 50.1% were female. The weighted prevalence of uncooked food waste in the last four weeks was 63.6% and the cooked food waste was 74.4%. However, the food insecurity weighted prevalence at the individual level (FIES) was 6.8%. In terms of food insecurity at the household level (HFIAS), 13.3% were in the “severely food insecure” category. Moreover, this study found that “moderately food insecure” households were associated with an increased likelihood to waste uncooked food (relative risk (RR) = 1.25), and the “mildly food insecure” (RR = 1.21) and “moderately food insecure” (RR = 1.17) households were associated with an increased likelihood to waste cooked food. However, “food secure” households were associated with a decreased likelihood to waste cooked food (RR = 0.56). Finally, this study identified four household factors associated with food waste and three household factors that were associated with “severe food insecurity.” Conclusions: This first national coverage study to explore food waste and food insecurity at the individual level and household level, identified household factors associated with food waste and food insecurity and identified new associations between food waste and food insecurity in Saudi Arabia. The associations found between food waste and food insecurity are potential areas of intervention to reduce both food waste and food insecurity at the same time, toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets related to food waste and food security.

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Prevalence of food insecurity at household level and its associated factors in rural Puducherry: A cross-sectional study

Indian Journal of Community Medicine ◽

10.4103/ijcm.ijcm_233_19 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 45 (3) ◽

pp. 303

Author(s):

SGanesh Kumar ◽

Bharathnag Nagappa ◽

Tanveer Rehman ◽

Yamini Marimuthu ◽

Shanthosh Priyan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Food Insecurity ◽

Associated Factors ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Household Level

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Comparing measures of urban food security in Accra, Ghana

Food Security ◽

10.1007/s12571-020-01011-4 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (2) ◽

pp. 417-431 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Cascade Tuholske ◽

Kwaw Andam ◽

Jordan Blekking ◽

Tom Evans ◽

Kelly Caylor

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Poor Correlation ◽

Household Food Insecurity ◽

Urban Food Security ◽

Household Level ◽

Household Food ◽

Sub Saharan ◽

Food Insecurity Access

AbstractThe urban population in Sub-Saharan Africa is projected to expand by nearly 800 million people in the next 30 years. How this rapid urban transition is affecting household-level urban food security, and reverberating into broader food systems, is poorly understood. To fill this gap, we use data from a 2017 survey (n = 668) of low- and middle-income residents of Accra, Ghana, to characterize and compare the predictors of household-level food security using three established metrics: the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS); the Household Food Insecurity Access Prevalence (HFIAP); and the Food Consumption Score (FCS). According to HFIAP, 70% of sampled households are food insecure, but only 2% fall below acceptable thresholds measured by FCS. Only one household reported sourcing food from modern supermarkets and fewer than 3% produce food for consumption through gardening, farming, or fishing. Instead, households rely on purchased food from traditional markets, local stalls and kiosks, and street hawkers. Results from a suite of general linear models show that household assets, education, and demographic characteristics are significantly associated with food security outcomes according to HFIAS and HFIAP. The poor correlation and weak model agreement between dietary recall such as FCS, and experience-based food security metrics, like HFIAS and HFIAP, highlight limitations of employing historically rural-centric food security measurement approaches within the urban context. Given that Sub-Saharan Africa’s future is urban, our results add empirical evidence in support of the growing chorus of scholars advocating for comprehensive urban-oriented food security research and policy agendas across Sub-Saharan Africa.

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Do Smallholder Farmers Need Nutrition Education? A Case Study from KwaZulu Natal, South Africa

Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education ◽

10.5191/jiaee.2021.28314 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 28 (3) ◽

pp. 14-27

Author(s):

Sarahi Moralles ◽

Abdukladir Egal ◽

Wilna Oldewage-Theron

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Food Security ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Nutrition Education ◽

Smallholder Farmers ◽

Dietary Guidelines ◽

Nutritional Knowledge ◽

Household Level ◽

Balanced Diet ◽

Kwazulu Natal

South Africa (SA) is considered as the second largest economies in Africa with well-developed agricultural food production system. But food security is still a challenge at household level. Currently, in Africa, smallholder agriculture is recognized to contribute food security at household level. This study investigates the prevalence of food insecurity and nutritional knowledge of 78 local smallholder farmers in KwaZulu Natal (KZN) province of South Africa. The results from this study indicated that nutrition knowledge was poor and food insecurity was prevalent at >40% at the household level. It is therefore recommended that future agricultural training should include nutrition education based on FBDG (Food Based Dietary Guidelines) in their respective programs so as to attain a balanced diet for healthy and productive smallholder farmer communities

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Household food insecurity and coping strategies in Southern Ethiopia

Agriculture & Food Security ◽

10.1186/s40066-021-00296-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Mesfin Melese ◽

Minyahel Tilahun ◽

Mebratu Alemu

Keyword(s):

Food Insecurity ◽

Coping Strategies ◽

Water Conservation ◽

Sampling Technique ◽

Food Shortage ◽

Southern Ethiopia ◽

Household Food Insecurity ◽

Household Level ◽

Household Food ◽

And Coping

Abstract Background Hunger and undernourishment are the main challenges of today’s world and 960 million people are hungry and undernourished. Food insecurity is an enduring, critical challenge in Ethiopia. Majority of the previous studies overlooked relevant determinant factors which affect the occurrence of food insecurity. This study aims to investigate household level food insecurity determinate factors and coping strategies used in the study area. Method Explanatory and descriptive research was designed to assess household food insecurity and coping strategies in Analemmo district of southern Ethiopia. A multi-stage purposive sampling technique was used for the purpose of this study. Two hundred households were selected systematically following list of food insecure households. Econometric models were employed using binary logit model. Household calorie acquisition was calculated to categorize households into food secure and food insecurely status. Results The survey result showed that 64% of the respondents were food insecure. Variables such as agro-ecology, age and education status, number of oxen, soil and water conservation, amount of credit, cultivated land size and receiving remittance were negatively but significantly (P < 0.05) affected households' food insecurity level. Female and young groups of the community were more food insecure as compared to others groups. The community was coping food shortage by relying on less preferred and less expensive food followed by participating in off-farm activities and borrowing food. Housesholds in the study area were utilizing less preferred foods to cope up food shortage and starvation. Conclusion Efforts of different developmental organizations should give due emphasis to household's wealth level, female-headed household and young and old-aged members of the community. Crop land production supported by modern agricultural technologies and information can reduce agricultural risks, and enhance productivity per unit land.

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Household level determinants of food insecurity in rural areas of Dire Dawa, eastern Ethiopia

African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development ◽

10.18697/ajfand.30.3740 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 9 (30) ◽

pp. 1914-1926

Author(s):

Ayalneh Bogale ◽

◽

Shimelis A ◽

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Survey Data ◽

Rural Areas ◽

Rural Households ◽

Household Head ◽

Household Food Insecurity ◽

Household Level ◽

Household Food ◽

Dire Dawa

Even though the struggle to achieve food security at the household level in the rural areas of Ethiopia dates back a long period, it has remained as a challenging goal even today. Making their living on marginal, moisture stressed, heavily degraded and less productive land, households in rural areas of Dire Dawa face persistent food shortages. The design and implementation of effective measures to reduce household food insecurity in the region depends on in-depth understanding of its covariates. This study seeks to address these issues by assessing location specific socio-economic factors that influence food insecurity of households in rural areas of Dire Dawa Administrative region. The analysis is based on survey data gathered from randomly selected 115 sample rural households in the study area. A binary logit model was used to identify the factors influencing household level food insecurity. A total of thirteen explanatory variables were included in the empirical model. The empirical results estimated using the survey data to identify the determinants of food insecurity among rural households in the study area revealed mixed impressions. Among variables considered , family size, annual income, amount of credit received, access to irrigation, age of household head, farm size, and livestock owned showed theoretically consistent and statistically significant effect. However, estimated coefficients of number of oxen owned and dependency ratio showed theoretically inconsistent and statistically insignificant effect on the probability of household to be food insecure.. Estimated coefficients of sex of household head, total off-farm income, education of household head and amount of food aid received were not found to be statistically significant in determining household food insecurity in the study area. The findings imply that improvement in food security situation needs to build assets, improve the functioning of rural financial markets and promote family planning. These areas could provide entry points for policy intervention to reduce hunger and augment household and community livelihood opportunities.

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Determinants and constraints to household-level animal source food consumption in rural communities of Ethiopia

Journal of Nutritional Science ◽

10.1017/jns.2021.52 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 ◽

Author(s):

Alemneh Kabeta Daba ◽

Mary Murimi ◽

Kebede Abegaz ◽

Dejene Hailu

Keyword(s):

Rural Communities ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Nutrition Education ◽

Family Size ◽

Educational Achievement ◽

Rural Households ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Household Level ◽

Animal Source ◽

Consumption Frequency

Abstract Animal source foods (ASF) contain quality nutrients important for growth, development, immunity and behavioural outcomes. Plant-based foods also provide the nutrients, but with lower bioavailability than ASF. Evidence on household-level ASF consumption frequency, constraints and determinants are limited for Ethiopia. Therefore, the present study aimed to assess the consumption frequency of ASF and to identify determinants and constraints among rural households in Ethiopia. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 422 households. The consumption frequency of ASF was assessed using a food frequency screener over 30 days. Twelve statements with Likert scale responses were used to identify constraints to ASF consumption. Ordinal logistic regression was used to identify determinants of ASF consumption. About a quarter (26 %) of the households consumed milk one to two times per week. One out of five households consumed eggs one to two times per week (20 %) or one to two times per month (19 %). Poultry and meat were never consumed by 92 and 60 % of the households, respectively. Unavailability, unaffordability, consumption tradition and income generation priority were constraints identified. Food insecurity, livestock ownership, income, family size and women's education were associated (P < 0⋅05) with selected ASF consumption. Rural households in Ethiopia did not consume ASF on regular basis. Poor socio-demographic and economic conditions as determined by food insecurity, property ownership, income, educational achievement, family size and ASF unavailability and unaffordability contributed to the lower consumption frequency of ASF by households in rural Ethiopia. Nutrition policies and programmes should focus on nutrition-sensitive agricultural extension, livelihood improvement and women empowerment interventions integrated with nutrition education to improve ASF consumption in rural settings.

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Comparison between Experience-Based and Household-Undernourishment Food Security Indicators: A Cautionary Tale

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu12113307 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (11) ◽

pp. 3307

Author(s):

Luis A. Sandoval ◽

Carlos E. Carpio ◽

Manuel Garcia

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Policy Design ◽

Analysis Data ◽

Cash Transfer ◽

Logistic Regression Models ◽

Household Level ◽

Food Security Status ◽

Food Security Indicators ◽

Security Indicators

Food security is a multi-dimensional concept that requires multiple indicators to measure it correctly; however, single food security indicators are often used individually or interchangeably. The misinterpretation of individual food security indicators can have important implications for policy design and implementation. The general objective of this paper is to show the discrepancies that may arise when using two different food security indicators that operate in the same dimension of the food security concept and yield the same outcome (food security status of the household) in three of the scenarios that they might be used: (1) for measuring the prevalence of food insecurity, (2) for understanding its drivers, and (3) for estimating the potential impact of a policy. The specific objectives of this paper are (1) to measure and compare the prevalence of food insecurity in a country using the Latin America Food Security Scale (ELCSA, by its acronym in Spanish) and the household undernourishment indicator, (2) to compare the factors associated with households’ food security status using the two indicators, and (3) to assess the potential use of the two indicators for ex ante policy analysis. Data for the study comes from the 2011 Survey of Living Standards from Guatemala, which collected all the data for estimating the ELCSA and the household level data required for calculating the household undernourishment indicator. Our results indicate considerable differences in the estimated prevalence of food insecurity at the national and regional levels using the two alternative indicators, with ELCSA resulting in higher estimates. Logistic regression models estimated to assess and identify household food insecurity drivers also found large differences in both the direction and magnitude of factors affecting food insecurity using the alternative food security indicators. Finally, the magnitude of the simulated impact of a cash transfer policy varied depending on the food indicator used.

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Socio-Economic Characteristics of Farming Community and Food Security Situation in Punjab, Pakistan

Journal of Agricultural Science ◽

10.5539/jas.v9n8p130 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 9 (8) ◽

pp. 130

Author(s):

Bushra Pervaiz ◽

Ninghui Li ◽

Muhammad Qasim Manzoor ◽

Muhammad Yaseen

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Descriptive Analysis ◽

Food Prices ◽

Demand Side ◽

Daily Consumption ◽

Household Level ◽

Farming Community ◽

Punjab Province ◽

Access To Food

Despite the availability of ample food and reasonably low food prices, food insecurity prevailed in many developing countries in 1970s. The paradigm shift in 1980s from supply to demand side of food security underlined the entitlement or access to food as the center of mainstream research. Current study is the findings of the data collected from household level survey regarding socio-economic and food insecurity conditions in the Punjab province of Pakistan. The descriptive analysis and cross tabulation of the household data revealed that household assets, house building material, size of agricultural farms, ownership of tractor, farm livestock were associated with food security conditions of the farming community. The data results also confirmed that the poorer families made major expenditure on the food out of total household expenditure every month. It was also revealed that households in the irrigated regions of Punjab have better entitlement as compared with households surveyed from Thal (desert) and rain-fed regions. The daily consumption of eggs, milk and various forms of meat was found below daily recommended nutritional requirements in most of the households. This study confirms the findings of the earlier surveys made in this regard and highlights the demand side of food insecurity issues in Punjab province of Pakistan. Food security policies in Pakistan should focus entitlement and food access of farming households. The household and farm assets need to be built for reducing vulnerability of poorer farming community to food insecurity in Pakistan.

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Hunger in the midst of plenty: A survey of household food security among urban families in Lagos State, Nigeria

Journal of Public Health in Africa ◽

10.4081/jphia.2019.885 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Alero Ann Roberts ◽

James Olufemi Osadare ◽

Victor Akpan Inem

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Urban Communities ◽

National Level ◽

Household Food Security ◽

Household Food Insecurity ◽

Significance Level ◽

Household Level ◽

Household Food ◽

Lagos State

Research has documented that food security at national level does not translate to food security at household level. The study assessed the level of food security among urban households in Shomolu LGA, Lagos State. Using the 9-item Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) information was collected from 306 heads of households on adequacy of food availability and consumption. Data were analyzed using Epi info and presented as frequencies and percentages. Associations between variables were tested using Chisquare at a significance level of 0.05. Households were classified as food secure, food insecure without hunger and food insecure with hunger. Only 33.8% of households were food secure, 45.1% were food insecure without hunger and 21.1% were food insecure with hunger. Food secure households were statistically significantly associated with households where heads had secondary or higher education, women were married, spending <40% of household monthly income on food and living in their own homes (P=0.001). Household food insecurity is found in urban communities and is positively associated with indicators of poverty.

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