The Impact of Productive Safety Net Program on the Household Food Security: The Case of Kutaber District

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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Assessing the Potential Contribution of Pfumvudza Towards Climate Smart Agriculture in Zimbabwe: A Review

10.20944/preprints202101.0619.v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Never Mujere

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Nitrous Oxide ◽

Food Security ◽

Nitrous Oxide Emissions ◽

Household Food Security ◽

Potential Contribution ◽

Mitigation And Adaptation ◽

Household Food ◽

Smart Agriculture ◽

The Impact

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.

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The relationship between childhood adversity and food insecurity: ‘It’s like a bird nesting in your head’

Public Health Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s1368980014003036 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 18 (14) ◽

pp. 2643-2653 ◽

Cited By ~ 34

Author(s):

Mariana Chilton ◽

Molly Knowles ◽

Jenny Rabinowich ◽

Kimberly T Arnold

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Food Insecurity ◽

Adverse Childhood Experiences ◽

Emotional Health ◽

Childhood Adversity ◽

Household Food Security ◽

Childhood Experiences ◽

Household Food ◽

Adverse Childhood ◽

The Impact

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.

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Ketahanan Pangan Rumah Tangga dan Kejadian Kurang Energi Kronis (KEK) pada Ibu Hamil Suku Anak dalam Desa Bungku Kabupaten Batanghari

Jurnal Akademika Baiturrahim Jambi ◽

10.36565/jab.v9i1.190 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

pp. 92

Author(s):

Arnati Wulansari

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Nutritional Status ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Household Food Security ◽

Measuring Instruments ◽

Energy Deficiency ◽

Household Food ◽

Food Shortages ◽

The Impact ◽

Spearman Test

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).

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Determinants of Food Security Among Small-Scale Soybean Households in Butere Sub-County, Kenya

Contemporary Agriculture ◽

10.2478/contagri-2020-0012 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 69 (3-4) ◽

pp. 90-101

Author(s):

Robert Ouko Gwada ◽

Kevin Okoth Ouko ◽

Zephaniah Ongaga Mayaka ◽

Bandiougou Dembele

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Household Head ◽

Safety Net ◽

Sampling Procedure ◽

Household Food Security ◽

Small Scale ◽

Exploratory Research ◽

Economic Market ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Household Food

SummaryFood and nutritional (in)security remain an important matter of concern, especially in developing countries. Despite the efforts to enhance food security among smallholder soybean households, the proportion of the undernourished population in Butere Sub-County still remains high for unknown reasons. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to examine the determinants of food security among smallholder soybean households in Butere Sub-County, Kenya. The study adopted the exploratory research design. A multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select a sample of 201 respondents. Cross-sectional data were gathered through face-to-face interviews using pretested semi-structured questionnaires and analyzed using ordered logistic regression model. Household Food Insecurity Access Scale was used to measure and categorize the soybean household food (in)security status. The results revealed that the household food (in)security status differed across soybean households and was greatly influenced by an interplay of socio-economic, market, and institutional factors. Age of the household head negatively influenced food security, whereas the level of soybean commercialization, education, livestock units, network density, extension visits, and credit access were positively associated with household food security. The study recommends policy interventions that seek to ensure intensive literacy development, frequent extension and training, improved access to credit, and reinvestment in productive assets or inputs for increased production, commercialization and food security. Strengthening of social ties and increased allocation to safety net programs for the aged, vulnerable, and resource-poor households are also recommended.

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Impact of Farm Households’ Adaptations to Climate Change on Food Security: Evidence from Different Agro-ecologies of Pakistan

The Pakistan Development Review ◽

10.30541/v55i4i-iipp.561-588 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 55 (4I-II) ◽

pp. 561-588 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Munir Ahmad Gattoo ◽

Ghulam Mustafa ◽

Muhammad Iqbal

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Food Security ◽

Treatment Effects ◽

New Technologies ◽

Cropping Systems ◽

Farm Households ◽

Household Food Security ◽

Farm Income ◽

Household Food ◽

The Impact

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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Changes in household food security, access to health services, and income in northern Lao PDR during the COVID-19 pandemic

10.1101/2021.07.27.21261221 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Jennifer R Head ◽

Phetsavanh Chanthavilay ◽

Helen Catton ◽

Ammaline Vongsitthi ◽

Kelley Khamphouxay ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Linear Models ◽

Dietary Diversity ◽

Lao Pdr ◽

Safety Net ◽

Food Prices ◽

Household Food Security ◽

Access To Health Services ◽

Household Food ◽

Food Needs

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic is expected to exacerbate food insecurity in low and middle-income countries, through loss of income and disrupted food supply chains. Lao PDR has among the highest rates of malnutrition in Southeast Asia. We assessed the relative difficulty in meeting food needs during the COVID-19 pandemic in rural districts of Luang Prabang Province, Lao PDR compared to before; determined associations between pandemic-associated difficulties in food access and household, maternal and child food security; and identified resiliency-promoting strategies. Methods: In November 2020, households (N = 1,122) with children under five years were interviewed. Respondents reported the relative ease of access of food and health care as well as changes in income and expenditures compared to before March 2020. We used generalized linear models with cluster robust standard errors to assess univariate and multivariate associations. Results: Nearly four-fifths (78.5%) found it harder to meet household food needs during the pandemic. The most common reasons were increased food prices (51.2%), loss of income (45.3%), and decreased food availability (36.6%). Adjusting for demographics, households with increased difficulty meeting food needs had lower food consumption scores and child dietary diversity. Over 85% of households lost income during the pandemic. Decreased expenditures was associated with reliance on more extreme coping strategies to meet food needs. The households who experienced no change in meeting food needs produced a greater percentage of their food from homegrown methods (4.22% more, 95% CI: 1.28, 7.15), than households who found it more difficult. We estimated that decreases in child bodyweight by 0.5 - 1% would increase wasting in this population by 1.7 - 2.1 percentage points. Conclusions: Pandemic-associated shocks may have large effects on malnutrition prevalence. Action is needed to mitigate consequences of the pandemic on nutrition. Local food production and safety net programs that offset income losses may help.

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