scholarly journals Applying the Theory of Access to Food Security among Smallholder Family Farmers around North-West Mount Kenya

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 1751 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily Mutea ◽  
Stephan Rist ◽  
Johanna Jacobi
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Property Rights ◽  
Social Relations ◽  
Private Property ◽  
Household Food Security ◽  
Hand Tools ◽  
North West ◽  
Household Food ◽  
Food Insecure Households ◽  
Access To Food

Access to productive resources such as land and water is fundamental for households that rely on crop and livestock production for their livelihoods. Research often assumes that agricultural production—and thus, food security—are favoured by tenure security of resources (as represented by a “bundle of property rights”). However, research has not yet elucidated how food security is influenced by additional factors, represented within a “bundle of powers”. Guided by the Theory of Access developed by Ribot and Peluso, we explore the main factors in the respective bundles of rights and powers that influence household food security around north-west Mount Kenya. We interviewed 76 households—38 food secure and 38 food insecure—who were subsampled from a previous food security survey of 380 households. Results show that household food insecurity was not exclusively the result of a lack of private property rights as many farmers had retained their property rights. Instead, a major factor preventing access to productive resources was the difficulty faced by food insecure households in accessing farm technology (i.e. hand tools and implements). Access to authority and via social relations were significantly correlated with access to technology, so improving the latter must take into account the former.

scholarly journals Household food security status and associated factors among high-school students in Esfahan, Iran

2010 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 1609-1613 ◽  
Author(s):  
Assieh Mohammadzadeh ◽  
Ahmadreza Dorosty ◽  
Mohammadreza Eshraghian
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
High School Students ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Household Food Security ◽  
School Students ◽  
Household Food ◽  
Food Security Status ◽  
Food Insecure Households

AbstractObjectiveThe present study was designed to determine household food security status and factors associated with food insecurity among high-school students in Esfahan, Iran.DesignCross-sectional surveys.SettingThe present study was conducted in autumn 2008 in Esfahan, Iran. The samples were selected using systematic cluster sampling. Socio-economic questionnaires, food security questionnaires and FFQ were filled out during face-to-face interviews. In addition, data on participants’ weights and heights were collected.SubjectsA total of 580 students (261 boys and 319 girls) aged 14–17 years from forty high schools in Esfahan, Iran, were selected.ResultsThe prevalence of household food insecurity according to the US Department of Agriculture food security questionnaire was 36·6 % (95 % CI 0·33, 0·40). Food insecurity was positively associated with number of members in the household (P < 0·05) and negatively associated with parental education level and job status and household economic status (P < 0·05). Moreover, students living in food-insecure households more frequently consumed bread, macaroni, potato and egg (P < 0·05), while they less frequently consumed rice, red meat, sausage and hamburger, poultry, fish, green vegetables, root and bulb (coloured) vegetables, melons, apples and oranges, milk and yoghurt (P < 0·05).ConclusionsFood insecurity was prevalent among households in Esfahan, Iran, and food security status was associated with socio-economic factors. Students who belonged to food-secure households more frequently consumed healthy foods (except sausage and hamburger), whereas those living in food-insecure households more frequently consumed cheap foods containing high energy per kilogram. The present study suggests that intervention programmes be designed and carried out.

scholarly journals Linking Household Food Security and Food Value Chains in North West Mt. Kenya

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 4999
Author(s):  
Veronica Mwangi ◽  
Samuel Owuor ◽  
Boniface Kiteme ◽  
Markus Giger ◽  
Johanna Jacobi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Value Chain ◽  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Household Food Security ◽  
Value Chains ◽  
North West ◽  
Household Food ◽  
Food Value

Smallholder farmers and pastoralists produce the largest proportion of food consumed in sub-Saharan Africa. However, they remain among the food insecure populations. This paper explores the food (in)security among smallholder farmers and pastoralists using a sample of 175 households in three agro-food value chains of wheat, dairy, and beef in the north-west Mt. Kenya region. The study seeks to answer if a farmer’s participation in a particular agro-food value chain determines his/her food security situation. We use the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) and two Poisson regression models, parsimonious and full, to assess the household food security status and determinants of food security among the smallholder farmers and pastoralists. The results show that 61% of the households were either mildly, moderately, or severely food insecure. Households in the beef value chain experienced relatively higher incidences of food insecurity compared to households in the wheat and dairy value chains. The HFIAS scores revealed a wide gap between households with minimum and maximum score. Household size, income and income-related variables (ability to save and borrow to meet family needs), transport assets, membership in farmers’ associations, and household energy were significant in determining household food security, while access to credit and to extension services was not. Strategies that focus on boosting smallholder farmers’ incomes, building strong and resilient farmers associations to improve inclusive and equitable value chains have the potential to get smallholder farmers out of recurrent food insecurity.

scholarly journals Poverty and household food security of black South African farm workers: the legacy of social inequalities

2006 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 830-836 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Kruger ◽  
S Lemke ◽  
Mars Phometsi ◽  
H van't Riet ◽  
AE Pienaar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Nutritional Status ◽  
Social Inequalities ◽  
Social Issues ◽  
Living Conditions ◽  
Farm Workers ◽  
Household Food Security ◽  
North West ◽  
The North ◽  
Household Food

AbstractObjectiveTo assess socio-economic indicators, nutritional status and living conditions of farm workers and their families, with the purpose to develop research and intervention programmes aimed at enhancing nutritional status and quality of life.Design and settingThree farm schools in two districts of the North-West Province and farming communities were selected. Anthropometrical measurements, structured face-to-face questionnaires and focus group discussions were carried out in 2002 and 2003 by a multidisciplinary research team.ResultsAccess to electricity, water and sanitation, as well as monthly food rations or subsidies, vary and depend on farm owners. The majority of adults have education below or up to grade four, farm schools provide only up to grade seven. Distance to farm schools and intra-household issues hamper children's attendance and performance at school. Household food security is compromised due to a lack of financial resources, infrastructure and also household resource allocation. This impacts negatively especially on children, with half of them being underweight, stunted or wasted. Employment is usually linked to men, while most women have access to casual jobs only. Insecurity of residence and the perceived disempowered position towards farm owners add to feelings of hopelessness and stress.Conclusions and recommendationsThis study highlights destitute living conditions of farm worker families. Apart from structural and financial constraints, paternalistic structures of the past might also hamper development. Based on these findings, follow-up research projects and in-depth investigations into underlying social issues with regard to nutrition insecurity and livelihoods of farm workers were initiated.

scholarly journals Do floods affect food security? A before-and-after comparative study of flood-affected households’ food security status in South-Eastern Nigeria

2020 ◽  
Vol 47 (47) ◽  
pp. 115-131
Author(s):  
Thecla Iheoma Akukwe ◽  
Alice Atieno Oluoko-Odingo ◽  
George Okoye Krhoda
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Comparative Study ◽  
Household Food Security ◽  
South Eastern ◽  
Household Food ◽  
Food Security Status ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Food Insecure Households

AbstractA comparative study of pre- and post-flood households’ food security statuses in South-Eastern Nigeria was performed to answer the question “Do floods affect food security?” Data were generated via a survey of 400 households in eight communities using stratified and random sampling methods. Households’ food security statuses were assessed using the Household Food Security Survey Module (HFSSM) and computed using a Rasch analysis, where households were divided into four categories, namely: food secure, food insecure without hunger, moderately food insecure with hunger and severely food insecure with hunger. The results show that flooding affects food security negatively by increasing the number of food insecure households to 92.8%, and the regression coefficient of −0.798 indicates a very strong negative effect of flooding on household food security. An odds ratio of 2.221 implies that households that have experienced flooding are 2.221 times more probable to be food insecure than households that have not. The implication of the findings is that flooding is capable of turning communities into food insecurity hotspots that would need long-term assistance to cope, and flooding is capable of hampering the achievement of Goal 2 of the SDGs.

scholarly journals Household Food Insecurity Is Associated with Higher BMI in a US Cohort of Infants (OR02-03-19)

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Benjamin-Neelon ◽  
Carter Allen ◽  
Brian Neelon
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
World Health ◽  
Household Food Security ◽  
Household Food Insecurity ◽  
Z Score ◽  
Supplemental Nutrition ◽  
Household Food ◽  
The Us ◽  
Food Insecure Households

Abstract Objectives Infancy represents a critical period for growth and development, and food insecurity during this time may impact later health. Few previous studies have assessed food insecurity and obesity in young children in the US, and even fewer have targeted infants. Moreover, the ability of federal food assistance programs to affect this relation remains unclear. Methods We examined 666 infants in the US-based Nurture birth cohort. We conducted home visits when infants were 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. We measured household food insecurity via maternal report using the US Household Food Security Survey Module: Six-Item Short Form. We categorized infants as living in full, marginal, low, or very low food security households. We calculated infant body mass index (BMI) z-score from measured lengths and weights using World Health Organization reference standards. We documented participation in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) at each home visit. We used repeated-measures linear regression models with imputed data to examine covariate-adjusted associations between household food security and BMI z-score throughout infancy. Results Nearly 70% of infants were black and 49% were female. At 3 months, 32.8% of infants were from households with low or very low food security. Infant BMI increased from months 3 to 12 in all food security groups (Figure). However, after adjustment for potential confounders, low household food insecurity (0.18; 95% CI 0.05, 0.32; P = 0.01) and very low household food insecurity (0.22; 95% CI 0.05, 0.38; P = 0.01) were associated with higher infant BMI z-score throughout infancy but marginal household food security was not (0.001; 95% CI −0.13, 0.13; P = 0.99). There was no evidence of effect modification by participation in either WIC (P = 0.36) or SNAP (P = 0.67). Conclusions Infants from food insecure households had higher BMIs throughout infancy, and this association was not attenuated by WIC or SNAP participation. About one-third of infants in this cohort were living in food insecure households, which raises substantial concern from both a public health and obesity prevention perspective. Funding Sources NIDDK, National Institutes of Health. Supporting Tables, Images and/or Graphs

scholarly journals Infants from Food Insecure Households Have Altered Gut Microbiota (OR01-03-19)

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Benjamin-Neelon ◽  
Moira Differding ◽  
Noel Mueller
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Household Food Security ◽  
Sequence Variants ◽  
Microbiota Composition ◽  
Household Food ◽  
Food Security Status ◽  
Food Insecure Households ◽  
Gut Microbiota Composition

Abstract Objectives Infancy represents a critical period for growth and development. Food insecurity (defined as the limited availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods) in early life may have both immediate and long-term health implications. Some limited evidence suggests that food insecurity in adults may influence the gut microbiota composition, perhaps through a lack of dietary diversity. A number of studies also link malnutrition with alterations in the gut microbiota in children. However, associations between food insecurity and the gut microbiota have yet to be explored in children and especially in infants, who may have had little exposure to foods other than human milk and formula. Methods Participants were from the Nurture study, a birth cohort of predominately black women and their infants residing in the southeastern United States. We collected stool samples from 68 infants 3 months after birth. Our exposure was household food security status assessed when infants were between 2 and 3 months. We used the US Household Food Security Survey Module: Six-Item Short Form. We grouped scores of 0–1 (full or marginal food security) as food secure and 2–6 (low or very low food security) as food insecure, consistent with prior studies. For the 3-month outcome, we used an Illumina MiSeq to conduct paired-end sequencing of the 16S rRNA V4 region. We used beta-binomial regression to determine differential abundance of microbiota according to food security status. Two-sided FDR corrected P-values < 0.05 were considered significant. We adjusted for delivery method (C-section versus vaginal), breastfeeding (never versus any), and timing of introduction to solid foods (at or before 3 months versus after 3 months of age). Results Demographic characteristics of mothers and infants from food insecure households (n = 20) resembled those from food secure households (n = 45). The relative abundance of 16 microbial amplicon sequence variants were lower in food insecure infants, and 3 microbial amplicon sequence variants were higher in food secure infants (Figure). Conclusions Findings from our birth cohort suggest that infants from food insecure households had altered gut microbiota composition at 3 months of age. Future research is warranted to provide mechanistic insight into these potentially novel associations. Funding Sources NIDDK, National Institutes of Health. Supporting Tables, Images and/or Graphs

The Role of Property Rights on Rural Women’s Land Use Security and Household Food Security for Improved Livelihood in Limpopo Province

2014 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 205-221 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vongai G. Murugani ◽  
Joyce M. Thamaga-Chitja ◽  
Unathi Kolanisi ◽  
Hussein Shimelis
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Property Rights ◽  
Limpopo Province ◽  
Household Food Security ◽  
Household Food

scholarly journals Land tenure and property rights, and household food security among rice farmers in Northern Nigeria

Heliyon ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. e06110
Author(s):  
M.O. Kehinde ◽  
A.M. Shittu ◽  
S.A. Adewuyi ◽  
I.O.O. Osunsina ◽  
A.G. Adeyonu
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Property Rights ◽  
Land Tenure ◽  
Household Food Security ◽  
Northern Nigeria ◽  
Rice Farmers ◽  
Household Food

scholarly journals Household food security and breast-feeding duration among Canadian Inuit

2016 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 64-71 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathryn E McIsaac ◽  
David C Stock ◽  
Wendy Lou
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Child Health ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Breast Feeding ◽  
Household Food Security ◽  
Feeding Duration ◽  
Household Food ◽  
Breast Feed ◽  
Food Insecure Households ◽  
Breast Fed

AbstractObjectiveThere have been few studies investigating the association between food security and breast-feeding duration and none have been conducted among Canadian Inuit, a population disproportionately burdened with food insecurity. We evaluated the association between household food security and breast-feeding duration in Canadian Inuit children.DesignData were obtained from the Nunavut Inuit Child Health Survey, a population-based cross-sectional survey.SettingThe Canadian Territory of Nunavut in 2007 and 2008.SubjectsCaregivers of Inuit children aged 3–5 years. Participating children were randomly sampled from community medical centre lists.ResultsOut of 215 children, 147 lived in food-insecure households (68·4 %). Using restricted mean survival time models, we estimated that children in food-secure households were breast-fed for 16·8 (95 % CI 12·5, 21·2) months and children in food-insecure households were breast-fed for 21·4 (95 % CI 17·9, 24·8) months. In models adjusting for social class, traditional knowledge and child health, household food security was not associated with breast-feeding duration (hazard ratio=0·82, 95 % CI 0·58, 1·14).ConclusionsOur research does not support the hypothesis that children living in food-insecure households were breast-fed for a longer duration than children living in food-secure households. However, we found that more than 50 % of mothers in food-insecure households continued breast-feeding well beyond 1 year. Many mothers in food-secure households also continued to breast-feed beyond 1 year. Given the high prevalence of food insecurity in Inuit communities, we need to ensure infants and their caregivers are being adequately nourished to support growth and breast-feeding, respectively.

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