Applying Community-Based system Dynamics to Address Food Insecurity in Non-Remote Indigenous Populations in Australia

Abstract Objectives There is a growing crisis of hunger and food inequality among Indigenous people in Australia who are increasingly urbanized. They experience substantially higher rates of food insecurity than the general population which impacts on diet-sensitive chronic disease risk and life expectancy. This project aimed to apply systems tools to identify systemic challenges to achieving food security and possible local actions to address the problem in two large Aboriginal communities. Methods A qualitative system dynamics method used group model building (GMB) in two regional and outer urban communities involving participants from Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services, food relief charities, council, educational groups and some food industry partners in the two local areas. The GMB enabled the participants to consider all the connections between contributing factors, feedback and reinforcing loops to produce a map of food insecurity linked to the local food system. This project was done in collaboration with the Study of Environment of Aboriginal Resilience and Child Health (SEARCH), Australia's largest cohort study into the health of urban Aboriginal children. Results The GMB workshops resulted in causal loop diagrams that mapped the complexities of the food insecurity challenge. The maps highlighted the impact of low incomes and unemployment that influenced the communities’ ability to budget and afford healthy food, thereby leading to a reliance on convenience food outlets. This, in turn, influenced communities’ healthy food preferences, which negatively impacted on food security. Additionally, community education around healthy food choices, meal planning and financial literacy were factors that also directly impacted food security. A distinct loop reflected that a lack of coordination between agencies was leading to duplication and confusion about available food relief services and the ability to access these services. Conclusions These analyses elicited local understanding of the potential levers within the system to address food insecurity in Indigenous people. They are being used to develop community-level workplans to shift the high prevalence of food insecurity and its longer-term impact on preventable chronic disease. Funding Sources This work was funded by the Australian Prevention Partnership Centre and the Sax Institute, Sydney.

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Long-term effectiveness of elderly health care voucher scheme strategies: a system dynamics simulation analysis

BMC Public Health ◽

10.1186/s12889-021-11280-z ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Ka Chun Chong ◽

Hong Fung ◽

Carrie Ho Kwan Yam ◽

Patsy Yuen Kwan Chau ◽

Tsz Yu Chow ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Primary Care ◽

Chronic Disease ◽

Public Sector ◽

System Dynamics ◽

The Elderly ◽

Healthcare Services ◽

Dynamics Simulation ◽

Public And Private ◽

The Public ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background The elderly healthcare voucher (EHCV) scheme is expected to lead to an increase in the number of elderly people selecting private primary healthcare services and reduce reliance on the public sector in Hong Kong. However, studies thus far have reported that this scheme has not received satisfactory responses. In this study, we examined changes in the ratio of visits between public and private doctors in primary care (to measure reliance on the public sector) for different strategic scenarios in the EHCV scheme. Methods Based on comments from an expert panel, a system dynamics model was formulated to simulate the impact of various enhanced strategies in the scheme: increasing voucher amounts, lowering the age eligibility, and designating vouchers for chronic conditions follow-up. Data and statistics for the model calibration were collected from various sources. Results The simulation results show that the current EHCV scheme is unable to reduce the utilization of public healthcare services, as well as the ratio of visits between public and private primary care among the local aging population. When comparing three different tested scenarios, even if the increase in the annual voucher amount could be maintained at the current pace or the age eligibility can be lowered to include those aged 60 years, the impact on shifts from public-to-private utilization were insignificant. The public-to-private ratio could only be marginally reduced from 0.74 to 0.64 in the first several years. Nevertheless, introducing a chronic disease-oriented voucher could result in a significant drop of 0.50 in the public-to-private ratio during the early implementation phase. However, the effect could not be maintained for an extended period. Conclusions Our findings will assist officials in improving the design of the EHCV scheme, within the wider context of promoting primary care among the elderly. We suggest that an additional chronic disease-oriented voucher can serve as an alternative strategy. The scheme must be redesigned to address more specific objectives or provide a separate voucher that promotes under-utilized healthcare services (e.g., preventive care), instead of services designed for unspecified reasons, which may lead to concerns regarding exploitation.

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High food insecurity in Latinx families and associated COVID-19 infection in the Greater Bay Area, California

BMC Nutrition ◽

10.1186/s40795-021-00419-1 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Milagro Escobar ◽

Andrea DeCastro Mendez ◽

Maria Romero Encinas ◽

Sofia Villagomez ◽

Janet M. Wojcicki

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

San Francisco ◽

Employment Status ◽

The United States ◽

Household Food Security ◽

Bay Area ◽

Household Food ◽

History Of ◽

The Impact

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.

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Examining the impact of COVID-19 and its related lockdown on food security and job losses: A case of Kumasi, Ghana

10.21203/rs.3.rs-992274/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Frank Adusei

Keyword(s):

Supply Chain ◽

Food Security ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Online Marketing ◽

Time Range ◽

Food And Nutrition Security ◽

Nutrition Security ◽

Food And Nutrition ◽

The Government ◽

The Impact

Abstract The COVID-19 and partial lockdown has brought significant effects on the entire economy, especially on food security and job losses. This study was carried out in Asokwa Municipal with the objective of examining the impact of COVID-19 disease and its related lockdown on food and nutrition security and job losses. The study site form part of the cities in Ghana to experience the partial lockdown, hence it qualifies for the selection. Both primary and secondary data were used. By means of purposive sampling technique, fifty respondents were selected as sample size. The study employed a qualitative approach with a descriptive and narrative posture to the presentation, discussion and analysis of data. Open-ended questionnaire and a checklist were used for data collection through semi-structured interviews. The results revealed that, food and nutrition insecurity, job loss and income reductions are still very common, affecting participants livelihood. Disproportionally affected are households whose income comes from farming, transporters, informal labour, as well as marketers.It was concluded that food insecurity is not outside the impact of COVID-19 and its associated partial lockdown. Food and nutrition security are the global concern at present circumstances. The supply chain has been hit hardest by COVID-19, which causes food insecurity of most vulnerable segment of population which put them at risk. And also, most of the migrant, informal, seasonal farm workers were losing their jobs which may affect their demand for food. Therefore, the government should step-up the measures to control the pandemic without disturbing the food supply chain. The development and use of online marketing strategies where people can make orders of various produce and booked for purchases and or deliveries during a stated time range should be promoted.

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Exploring the Impact of Crises on Food Security in Lebanon: Results from a National Cross-Sectional Study

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13168753 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (16) ◽

pp. 8753

Author(s):

Maha Hoteit ◽

Youssef Al-Atat ◽

Hussein Joumaa ◽

Suheir El Ghali ◽

Rania Mansour ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Coping Strategies ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Assessment System ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

The People ◽

Food Consumption Score ◽

The Government ◽

The Impact

This study aims to explore the prevalence and correlates of food insecurity among Lebanese households since the ordeals of COVID-19, economic crisis, and Beirut port explosions. At the core of the study, a mobile application entitled Nutrition Assessment System (NAS) that simplified the data collection was used as toolkit and a technical test was carried out in all Lebanese governorates between November 2020 and March 2021. Findings show that food insecurity is an immediate problem for households in Beirut and in many governorates in Lebanon. Nine in every 16 households ate less than 2 meals per day and more than 70% of them skipped their meals to spare food. Even though half the population studied had a low food consumption score, 82.4% of the people were not relying on livelihood coping strategies. However, more than three out of ten of these households relied on at least three food-based coping strategies. In addition, as for the livelihoods, this assessment found that most Lebanese households reported a drop in income along with an expansion in debt incurrence in the last 24 months to be able to buy food. Improving food security in Lebanon requires effort not only on the part of the government, but through regional and international actions.

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An Integrated Global Food and Energy Security System Dynamics Model for Addressing Systemic Risk

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su11143995 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (14) ◽

pp. 3995 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Roberto Pasqualino ◽

Irene Monasterolo ◽

Aled Jones

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Population Growth ◽

System Dynamics ◽

Systemic Risk ◽

Land Development ◽

Climate Extreme ◽

System Dynamics Model ◽

Dynamics Model ◽

The Impact ◽

Global Food

In 1972, The Limits to Growth, using the World3 System Dynamics model, modeled for the first time the long-term risk of food security, which would emerge from the complex relation between capital and population growth within the limits of the planet. In this paper, we present a novel system dynamics model to explore the short-term dynamics of the food and energy system within the wider global economic framework. By merging structures of the World3, Money, and Macroeconomy Dynamics (MMD) and the Energy Transition and the Economy (ETE) models, we present a closed system global economy model, where growth is driven by population growth and government debt. The agricultural sector is a general disequilibrium productive sector grounded on World3, where capital investment and land development decisions are made to meet population food need, thus generating cascade demands for the energy and capital sector. Energy and Capital Sectors employ a more standard economic approach in line with MMD and ETE. By taking into account the role of financial, real, and natural capital, the model can be used to explore alternative scenarios driven by uncertainty and risk, such as climate extreme events and their impacts on food production. The paper presents scenario analysis of the impact of an exogenous price, production, and subsidies shock in the food and/or energy dimensions on the economic system, understanding the sources of potential cascade effects, thus providing a systemic risk assessment tool to inform global food security policies.

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Farmer Reported Pest and Disease Impacts on Root, Tuber, and Banana Crops and Livelihoods in Rwanda and Burundi

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su11061592 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (6) ◽

pp. 1592 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Joshua Okonya ◽

Walter Ocimati ◽

Anastase Nduwayezu ◽

Déo Kantungeko ◽

Nicolas Niko ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Cassava Mosaic Disease ◽

Household Food Security ◽

Crop Losses ◽

Pests And Diseases ◽

Production Constraints ◽

Root Tuber ◽

The Impact

Biotic constraints cause major crop losses and, hence, food insecurity in sub-Saharan Africa. This study documented the popularity, production constraints, pests and diseases, farmers’ perceptions on the severity of biotic constraints and the impact of related crop losses on household food security for the key root, tuber and banana (RTB) crops (cassava, potato, sweetpotato and banana). Farmer interviews were conducted in 2014 covering 811 households in Rwanda and Burundi. Farmers were asked to list their RTB crop production constraints, name insect pests and diseases of RTB crops, estimate crop loss due to pests and diseases, and mention if their household experienced any form of food insecurity due to pests and diseases. Cutworms and late blight in potato, banana weevils and banana Xanthomonas wilt in banana, cassava whitefly and cassava mosaic disease in cassava, sweetpotato weevils, and sweetpotato virus disease in sweetpotato were the most predominant pests and diseases reported. Crop losses due to pests and diseases for sweetpotato, banana, potato and cassava were estimated at 26%, 29%, 33%, and 36%, respectively, in Rwanda and 37%, 48%, 38%, and 37% in Burundi. Pests and diseases reduce the profitability of RTB crops, threaten food security, and constitute a disincentive for investment. Sustainable and affordable integrated pest management packages need to be developed.

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Indigeneity

Anthropology ◽

10.1093/obo/9780199766567-0199 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Paulette F. Steeves

Keyword(s):

Human Rights ◽

Indigenous People ◽

Cultural Practices ◽

Political Identity ◽

Indigenous Communities ◽

Indigenous Populations ◽

Historical Continuity ◽

Regional Area ◽

The World ◽

The Impact

There are minimally 370 million Indigenous people in the world. The term Indigenous was not used to identify human groups until recently. Indigenous people are often identified as the First People of a specific regional area. Indigeneity as applied to First People came into use in the 1990s, as many colonized communities fought against erasure, genocide, and forced acculturation under colonial regimes. An often-cited definition of Indigenous peoples is one by Jose Martinez Cobo, special rapporteur for the UN Sub-Commission. Cobo’s 1986 report was completed for the United Nations Economic and Social Council, Commission on Human Rights, Sub-Commission on Prevention and Discrimination and Protection of Minorities, thirty-fifth session, item 12 of the provisional agenda, titled, “Study of the Problem of Discrimination against Indigenous Populations.” Cobo described Indigenous people, communities, and nations as groups that have a “historical continuity with pre-colonial societies” within territories they developed, and as communities that “consider themselves distinct from other sectors of societies” now in their territories. Cobo further stressed that Indigenous people and communities are minorities within contemporary populations that work to preserve their ethnic identities and ancestral territories for future generations. It is important to include displaced people whom prior to colonization identified with specific land areas or regional areas as homelands, as well as Indigenous communities that have for decades been in hiding in areas away from their initial homeland areas. Many descendants of Indigenous people were forced to hide their identities for their own safety due to colonization and genocidal policies focused on physical and cultural erasure. That does not make them non-Indigenous. It makes them survivors of genocide, erasure, and forced acculturation. Many Indigenous people are just coming to terms with the impact of ethnic cleansing and the work to reclaim and revive their identities and cultures. Indigenous is both a legal term, and a personal, group, and pan-group identity. Scholars have argued there are at least four thousand Indigenous groups, but that number is likely very low. Indigeneity is not as simple as an opposition to identity erasure or a push back against colonization. Indigeneity is woven through diverse experiences and histories and is often described as a pan-political identity in a postcolonial time. However, that can be misleading, as the world does not yet exist in a postcolonial state, despite ongoing concerted efforts by Indigenous people and their allies in political and academic spheres to decolonize institutions and communities. Diverse Indigenous communities weave Indigeneity through a multifaceted array of space and time to revive identities and cultural practices and to regain or retain land, human rights, heritage, and political standing.

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The Impact of a Community Fruit and Vegetable Voucher Program (Vouchers 4 Veggies) on Improvements in Dietary Intake and Food Security (P04-013-19)

Current Developments in Nutrition ◽

10.1093/cdn/nzz051.p04-013-19 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽

Author(s):

Leah Jennings ◽

Sanjana Marpadga ◽

Cissie Bonini ◽

Melissa Akers ◽

Ronli Levi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Dietary Intake ◽

Vegetable Intake ◽

Health Perception ◽

Healthy Food ◽

Fruit And Vegetable Intake ◽

Grocery Stores ◽

Fruit And Vegetable ◽

Voucher Program ◽

The Impact

Abstract Objectives Vouchers 4 Veggies (V4V) is a transformative healthy food voucher program aimed at increasing access to and affordability of healthy food in the most vulnerable communities. Between 2015–2018, over 2600 ethnically diverse low-income individuals were enrolled in the program with the goal to increase their fruit and vegetable intake, improve food security status and change health perception. Methods V4V partners with local community-based organizations and clinics that serve as voucher distribution sites as well as neighborhoods stores, grocery stores, and famer's markets where participants can redeem their vouchers. Participants receive $20-$40 worth of vouchers per month for 6 months. Data for this evaluation were collected using pre- and post- surveys (at 0 and 4–6 months) that included a validated fruit and vegetable intake screener, the USDA 7-item food security screener, demographic questions and health perception questions. Results Data from 862 matched surveys indicate that mean fruit and vegetable intake increased from 2.49 to 3.52 servings daily, corresponding to a 1.03 servings increase after six months in the program (0.89,1.77; P < .001). In addition, V4V participants’ food security scores improved, decreasing 0.88 points (−1.07, −0.71; P < 0.001) on a 6 point scale (0 being the most food secure and 6 being very food insecure), from a mean of 5.53 to 4.65 using the USDA validated 6-item scale. When stratified by race, food security improved significantly for all major racial groups except Black/African Americans. Finally, participants reported a statistically significant improvement in self-reported health status (P < 0.001), with a 14% change in status from poor/fair health to good/very good/excellent health. Conclusions This evaluation suggests that a modest supplement for fruits and vegetables may be able to improve dietary intake, support food security, and improve health perception among vulnerable residents of San Francisco. More research is needed to understand differences in maintaining long-term health and behavior changes among program participants. Funding Sources V4V received funding from the SF Department of Public Health, Hellman Foundation, AARP Foundation, and Kaiser Permanente Community Benefits Program.

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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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Drought and water management in the German agricultural sector - a participatory system dynamics approach

10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-10193 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Rodrigo Valencia ◽

Sabine Egerer ◽

María Máñez

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Water Management ◽

Water Balance ◽

System Dynamics ◽

Model Building ◽

Elevated Temperatures ◽

Agricultural System ◽

Group Model ◽

Wide Range ◽

The Impact

Higher temperatures and changes in precipitation patterns caused by climate change may potentially affect water availability for agriculture and increase the risk of crop loss in Northeast Lower Saxony (NELS), Germany. The drought of 2018 showed that an intensification of irrigation might be a temporary solution. However, a long-term increase in water extraction, especially during drought periods, is not a sustainable solution. To assess possible water management solutions, we implement a participatory system dynamics approach, namely Group Model Building, to develop a qualitative system dynamics model (QSDM) describing the agricultural system and its relation to water resources in NELS.The development of the QSDM seeks to understand the complexity of the interactions between agriculture and hydrological systems, recognize the stakeholders&#8217; needs and identify risks and weaknesses of both systems. By understanding this, we expect to reinforce the adaptation process, reduce conflict and be able to suggest tailored solutions and adaptation measures. The QSDM incorporates a wide range of perceptions, as twenty stakeholders ranging from farmers, government agencies, environmental protection organizations and local water authorities were involved in the QSDM development. Their perceptions were recorded in the QSDM through individual interviews and a group workshop.Through the QSDM, we identified and mapped the structure and connections between agriculture and the water balance. It was also possible to identify the strongest feedback loops governing both sectors as well as their influence on the current situation. The loops represent behaviors and structures, which might become unmanageable under climate change conditions. The causal loops include the different uses for the available water of the region, the impact of irrigation, the significance of crop selection and the importance of sustainable soil management.By analyzing the system this way, we confirmed that climate change poses a risk to the region as elevated temperatures could increase the crop water demand and increase the need for irrigation. In the same way, changes in the rain patterns could affect the water balance of the region. The agricultural system has, however, potential to adapt by implementing new water management strategies such as restructuring water rights, water storage and reuse and conjunctive water use. Other measures include increasing the irrigation efficiency, changing crops and enhancing the soil quality, among others.

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