scholarly journals The Relationship between Smallholder Irrigation and Household Food Availability and Dietary Diversity in Greater Tzaneen Municipality of Limpopo Province, South Africa

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thinah Moyo ◽  
Charles L. Machethe
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Food Availability ◽  
Dietary Diversity ◽  
Limpopo Province ◽  
Sufficient Evidence ◽  
Household Food Security ◽  
Household Food ◽  
Household Food Availability ◽  
Smallholder Irrigation

Irrigation farming has the potential to address household food security challenges in developing countries. This paper examines household food availability, consumption and dietary diversity for irrigating and non-irrigating households in Greater Tzaneen municipality of Limpopo Province of South Africa. The paper uses primary data collected from 180 households comprising of irrigation scheme irrigators, independent (non-scheme) irrigators, and non-irrigating households. Data analysis employed descriptive analysis and analysis of variance to compare food security components of the different types of households. Results provide sufficient evidence that smallholder irrigation farming contributes significantly to household food security through improved food availability and dietary diversity. However, since most households are net food buyers, it is essential to have policies that are formulated with an understanding that household food security is not only a function of the food that farming households produce for their own consumption but more so a function of total household income. The results inform agrarian reform debates on whether South Africa should continue investing in smallholder irrigation farming for improved household welfare. An integration of smallholder irrigation farming in strategies for growing the rural economy and contributing to improved livelihoods and poverty reduction is, therefore, recommended.

scholarly journals Household Food Security Status and Its Determinants in Maphumulo Local Municipality, South Africa

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 3307 ◽  
Author(s):  
Primrose Ngema ◽  
Melusi Sibanda ◽  
Lovemore Musemwa
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Food Consumption ◽  
Dietary Diversity ◽  
Binary Logistic Regression ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Household Food Security ◽  
Binary Logistic Regression Model ◽  
Household Food ◽  
Food Security Status

Food security at the household level remains a major issue in South Africa and for many other developing countries, particularly those in Africa. As a means of ensuring food security in KwaZulu-Natal province, various food security intervention programmes were launched. Nonetheless, food security remains an issue among households in the province. This paper estimates the household food security status of the “One Home One Garden” (OHOG) beneficiaries against that of non-beneficiaries and assesses the determinants of household food security status in Maphumulo. A stratified random sampling technique was used to sample 495 households (including 330 OHOG beneficiaries and 165 non-beneficiaries). The status of household food security was estimated by means of a “Household Dietary Diversity Score” (HDDS). Additionally, a Household Food Consumption Score” (HFCS) tool was employed to supplement the HDDS. The results showed that food consumption patterns were characterized by medium (4.89) and average (4.22) HDDS for the OHOG beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries, respectively. Taking HDDS as a proxy for household food security, an independent samples t-test (Levene’s test—equal variances assumed) reveals a significant (p < 0.001) relationship between the sample means of the two groups. A greater proportion (65%) of the OHOG beneficiaries had an acceptable (≥35) HFCS level, whereas just over half (54%) of the non-beneficiaries fell in the borderline (21.5 to 35) HFCS level. The determinants of household food security status were elicited by means of a binary logistic regression model. The results revealed that education (p = 0.036), receiving infrastructural support (irrigation) (p = 0.001), and participation in the OHOG programme (p = 0.000) positively influenced the food security status of households, yet household income (p = 0.000) and access to credit (p = 0.002) showed a negative correlation. This paper proposes that government and developmental agencies, in their efforts to enhance food security through food security intervention programmes, should support households by investing in education and agricultural infrastructure, as well as giving priority to smallholder infrastructural irrigation support for households that largely rely on rain-fed systems.

scholarly journals Female and male-controlled livestock holdings impact pastoralist food security and women’s dietary diversity

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Gitungwa ◽  
C. R. Gustafson ◽  
E. Y. Jimenez ◽  
E. W. Peterson ◽  
M. Mwanzalila ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Food Consumption ◽  
Food Availability ◽  
Dietary Diversity ◽  
Primary Response ◽  
Unintended Consequences ◽  
Household Food Security ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
South Central ◽  
Household Food

Abstract Background Food insecurity is a global problem that requires a One Health approach. As many households in low- and middle-income nations rely on crops and livestock that they produce to meet their household’s needs, food security and nutrition are closely linked to the health of animals and the environment. Resources controlled by women are more often allocated to uses that benefit the entire household, such as food, health, and educating children, than men’s resources. However, studies of gender control of resources among pastoralist societies are scant. We examined the effect of female and male control of livestock resources on food security and women’s dietary diversity among households from one agro-pastoralist and two pastoralist tribes in Iringa Region in south-central Tanzania. Methods We conducted surveys with 196 households, which included questions on food availability and food consumption among women, livestock holdings, gender control of livestock and livestock product income, and household demographics, as well as open-ended questions on the use of income. Food availability and food consumption responses were used to construct food security and women’s dietary diversity indexes, respectively. We conducted mixed effects logistic regression to analyze how household food security and dietary diversity were associated with livestock and other household variables. We also examined qualitative responses for use of income controlled by women and how the household obtained income when needed. Results Female-controlled livestock generally supported better household nutrition outcomes. Greater chicken holdings increased the probability of being food secure in pastoralist households but decreased it in agro-pastoralist households, while increasing the probability of having medium-high dietary diversity among all tribes. Male-controlled livestock holdings were not related to food security status. Women used income to supplement food supplies and livestock they controlled as a primary response to unanticipated household needs. Conclusions Our results show that female-control of livestock is significantly related to household food security and dietary diversity in pastoralists and agro-pastoralists in rural Tanzania. Importantly, the relationship between food security and dietary diversity differs among tribes for both male and female-controlled livestock, which suggests that blanket policies regarding management of livestock holdings may have unintended consequences.

scholarly journals Food security and related health risk among adults in the Limpopo Province of South Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 117 (11/12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hlekani V. Mbhatsani ◽  
Ngoako S. Mabapa ◽  
Tambe B. Ayuk ◽  
Tshifhiwa C. Mandiwana ◽  
Lindelani F. Mushaphi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Health Risk ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Vegetable Intake ◽  
Dietary Diversity ◽  
Limpopo Province ◽  
Fruit And Vegetable Intake ◽  
Household Food Security ◽  
Fruit And Vegetable

Food insecurity, obesity and hypertension remain major public health issues related to nutrition in South Africa. The purpose of this study was to determine household food security and the health risk of the adult population in the Limpopo Province using cross-sectional designs. A stratified random sampling method was used to recruit adults aged 18 to 65 years in the Limpopo Province of South Africa. Data were collected using a validated, structured questionnaire. All data were analysed using SPSS version 25.0. The study included 640 participants with an average age of 36.2±17.6 years and a household size of five persons; 74.5% of participants fell in the low monthly income bracket (≤ZAR3000). The mean dietary diversity score was 3.99 (CI: 2.79–5.19). The prevalence of food insecurity was 31.3%, obesity 35.2% and hypertension 32.3%. Being a woman, older and married significantly positively influenced obesity and hypertension. Also, a healthy eating lifestyle such as high dietary diversity was found to positively influence obesity status, while daily eating of fruit and vegetables positively significantly influenced the hypertension status of participants (p<0.05). Food insecurity, obesity and hypertension rates remain high among adults in the Limpopo Province of South Africa with consumption of a diet low in dietary variety. Aged and married women were more likely to be obese and hypertensive, while daily fruit and vegetable intake were found to be a protective factor. Educational and nutritional intervention should be designed and geared towards promoting fruit and vegetable intake in the community.

Mopane worm (Imbrasia belina) and rural household food security in Limpopo province, South Africa

Food Security ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 153-165 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. J. S. Baiyegunhi ◽  
B. B. Oppong ◽  
G. M. Senyolo
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Food Security ◽  
Rural Household ◽  
Limpopo Province ◽  
Household Food Security ◽  
Household Food ◽  
Mopane Worm ◽  
Imbrasia Belina

scholarly journals Climatic Changes and Household Food Availability in Malaysian East Coast Economic Region

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Md. Mahmudul Alam ◽  
Chamhuri Siwar ◽  
Abdul Hamid Jaafar ◽  
Basri Abdul Talib
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Food Availability ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Food Distribution ◽  
Household Food Security ◽  
Local Market ◽  
Economic Region ◽  
Household Food ◽  
Distribution Process ◽  
Household Food Availability

Sustainable food security at household level is one of the emerging issues for all nations. There are several factors such as social, economic, political, demographic, natural, and livelihood strategies that causes to the vulnerability of the status of household food security. Therefore examining the vulnerability of these factors is essential to identify the reason and recognize the most vulnerable communities. This study is an attempt to study on the vulnerability of the factors of household food availability and its linkage with climatic changes in Malaysia. The study is based on primary data collected in the months of July – October, 2012 through a questionnaire survey on 460 low income households from East Coast Economic Region (ECER) in Malaysia. The samples were selected from E-Kasih poor household database, based on cluster random sampling technique. The study found that the vulnerability of the factors of household food availability has decreased statistically significantly over the last five years period in Malaysia for the factors of effectiveness of food distribution process, road and transportation facility for food distribution process, availability of expected food in the local market, sufficiency of expected food in the local market, and stability of food supply in market. The mean values of the current status of the factors of household food availability differ significantly at 1% significance level from the scenario of 5 years ago. However, most of the cases climatic issues were found less responsible for the changes of these factors. Though Malaysia is adversely affected by climatic change, the factors of food availability are not affected yet remarkably. This study suggests that the food security programs need to be integrated with climatic change adaptation programs to ensure more effective and sustainable household food security in future, especially among the poor and low income group. Moreover, a proper monitoring agency is required to ensure consistent supply of food in the rural and remote areas, especially at the time of natural calamity or off season.

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