scholarly journals SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS AFFECTING FOOD SECURITY AMONG THE ELDERLY. A CRITICAL LITERATURE REVIEW

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-64
Author(s):  
Arianna Njeri

Purpose: Mobile technologies provide an affordable and easily accessible technology that lecturers can use effectively to assist students with their studies. The general objective of the study was to evaluate socio-economic factors affecting food security among the elderly. Methodology: The paper used a desk study review methodology where relevant empirical literature was reviewed to identify main themes and to extract knowledge gaps. Findings: From the study findings, it is concluded that the households of the elderly persons are faced with abject poverty due to the household structures they live in, which lack food storage facilities hindering food utilization. The elderly persons are faced with health challenges that hinder them from accessing adequate and appropriate foods. They also are not able to use the available types of food due to the ailments they suffer. Elderly persons are faced by various levels of food insecurity due to the deteriorating strength and vulnerability that comes handy with aging. Farming practices by elderly persons depict that they mainly use manual labour limiting their food production. The elderly persons food utilization that entails enlightenment on food production based on food storage, feeding habits and farming methods have lowered food production thus food insecurity. Recommendations: The study recommended that there should be established programmes that provide homes for the aged to cater for the elderly persons who live alone, sickly and too aged to undertake their daily domestic duties. In addition feeding programmers in households with elderly persons should be formulated and implemented. Relatives should be encouraged to follow up on the wellbeing of their aging parents and organize to employ care givers to keep up domestic duties that may be making it difficult for the elderly to access food. The ministry of special programmes should consider provision of relief food to households with the elderly persons who suffer severe food insecurity. They should also collaborate with the ministry of education in ensuring children who are under the care of aged people have a school feeding programme to provide at least a meal for them at school.

Author(s):  
Debashis Roy ◽  
Debashish Sarker Dev ◽  
Shonia Sheheli

Background: Bangladesh is a developing country; so, it is faced with the great challenge of food insecurity. In spite of achieving self-sufficiency in food production, a huge number of people experience the food insecure situation in this country. Since long time ago, scientists are striving to feed the growing population of Bangladesh. However, this study was conducted to assess the present situation of food security in Bangladesh. Methods: This systematic study investigated the available literature and recorded the related and different dimensions of food security in Bangladesh. Results: Bangladesh has made remarkable improvements in food availability, access, and utilization in the last few decades, but it is not the case regarding the food stability. The country experiences numerous challenges regarding food insecurity. Bangladesh has made significant improvement in cereals (rice) production. Despite the increase in the income of people, the food quality is not good. Unequal land ownership and income distribution have made the food access below par. Food utilization has improved but balanced food intake is still far below the standard. A notable portion of people are still severly food insecure and malnourished. To ensure food security, government of Bangladesh has undertaken several programs but they were not sufficient to cope with this everlasting issue. Conclusion: Despite the improvement in many aspects of food security, people of Bangladesh still lack dietary diversification, which leads to nutritional imbalance. In addition, several factors challenge the food security. Therefore, GOs and NGOs should work from the same platform to address the challenges affecting food security in Bangladesh efficiently.


Author(s):  
Hardiani Hardiani ◽  
Junaidi Junaidi ◽  
Purwaka Hari Prihanto

This paper aims to analyze: 1) food security of urban female-headed households (FHH) in Jambi Province, Indonesia; 2) socio-economic factors affecting the food security of urban FHH in Jambi Province. Primary data is raw data from the National Socioeconomic Survey (SUSENAS) Year 2016 in regencies/cities in Jambi Province. Food security of households is analyzed descriptively. The ordinal logistic regression model is used to analyze the socio-economic factors affecting the food security of urban FHH. The results of the study found that: 1) Of the total urban households in Jambi Province, there are 12.69 percent of FHH; 2) The proportion of urban FHH in Jambi Province that is categorized as food secure is 57,62 percent, as vulnerable is 13,33 percent, as questionable is 22,38 percent, and as food insecureis 6,67 percent; 3) Socioeconomic factors that have significant effect on food security of FHH are age, education, and employment status of female head of household, number of household members, education level of household members, and household final consumption expenditure per capita.


Author(s):  
L. Li ◽  

Being over-dependent on imports, China has been faced with the problem of food insufficiency in recent years.This paper, with the adoption of the indicators of agricultural development and relevant models, aims to explore factors affecting food security in China, in particular, technological elements. The findings demonstrate that technology plays a vital role in improving food production. It is recommended to increase the input of science and technology and improve agricultural mechanization.


2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (S1) ◽  
pp. s96-s97
Author(s):  
T.W. Graham

Liberia's 14 year civil war destroyed domestic agricultural production, veterinary and agricultural education, extension services and domestic food security. These losses severely limited domestic food production, and basic hygiene and sanitation: potable water, abattoirs, cold chain and food storage were greatly diminished. The average Liberian life expectancy fell from 45.8 in 1990 to 41.8 years presently. The population birth and death rate are two of the highest globally with a resulting population growth rate, of 2.7% per annum; this growth rate requires an immediate and concerted focus on domestic food production to alleviate nutritional inadequacy and hunger, trade imbalances and loss of foreign exchange credits. Food supply nationally is presumed adequate because of importation, though domestic production is inadequate. Unequal distribution precludes food security for all Liberians. Value chain augmentation, enhancing food availability across all sectors of Liberian society and ensuring distribution of a safe food supply needs critical development. Infant mortality remains one of the highest in the world (approximately 160/1000 births), much of which is attributed to food insecurity, food contamination and lack of uniformly available potable water. Recreation of Liberia's public health and food security requires redevelopment of disease monitoring and laboratory diagnostic capability to re-establish safe food production and handling practices across all sectors. This will allow determination of endemic disease burden for the principal livestock species: poultry, sheep, goats, cattle and swine. Creation of a national disease surveillance/monitoring system allows for targeted disease intervention, ensuring vaccination for correct serotypes and most critically prevalent diseases. Creation of community level training and support will target intervention of local diseases, but also allow for national prioritization of diseases. Targeting which are most prevalent or most likely to cause production limiting effects will require periodic surveillance, targeted vaccination, and chemotherapeutic intervention and evaluation of therapeutic success.


2013 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kefasi Nyikahadzoi ◽  
Byron Zamasiya ◽  
George Alex Muchinako ◽  
Charles Dziro

The study sought to establish factors that contribute towards food security among elderly headed households and then seek ways of enhancing them. The study was conducted in Mudzi District in Mashonaland East Province of Zimbabwe. Data was collected from wards 11, 12 and 16. The study used cross sectional household data collected using a structured questionnaire. Two measures of food security are used; namely household food insecurity access score and household dietary diversity score. The results showed that food insecurity access score was statistically higher for elderly headed household when compared to those headed by younger people. The study revealed that social capital, remittances, and off farm income generating projects can increase the elderly headed household’s likelihood of being food secure. The study also showed that public assistance is not making a positive contribution towards food security of elderly headed household. This paper argues that it is important for government and civil society to promote social capital and support channels of remittances to elderly headed households in communal areas.


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