Contribution of urban and periurban agriculture to household food and nutrition security along the urban–rural continuum in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

Food and nutrition insecurity remains a challenge in sub-Saharan Africa. Several studies have examined food and nutrition insecurity in urban or rural areas but have not captured the whole continuum. Between November and December 2013, 240 households were surveyed along the urban–rural continuum in Northern Ghana. The study objective was to understand the socio-spatial dynamics of household food and nutrition insecurity and to investigate the role played by urban, peri-urban and rural agriculture. The study found that there was more involvement in agriculture in rural areas compared to peri-urban areas and urban areas. Households from urban areas were more food insecure (HFIAS > 11) compared to their counterparts in peri-urban and the rural areas. Stunting increased by 3.4 times (p = 0.048) among households located in the peri-urban area. Wasting was reduced by 0.16 times among household that produced staple food or vegetables (p = 0.011). Overweight was reduced by 0.04 times among households that produced livestock (p = 0.031). The results reveal a socio-spatial dimension of food and nutrition insecurity that is related to agricultural activities.

Introduction: Poverty is one of the key factors influencing food security in both urban and rural areas. This condition affects the decision-making of poor households regarding the implementation of food coping strategies. The objective of this study is to systematically analyze the level of food security among poor households in rural and urban. Methods: This study employs a systematic review approach following the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA). Relevant articles were sourced from seven databases: Publish or Perish 8, PubMed, MDPI, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Google Scholar, and Semantic Scholar. The selected articles were published between 2015 and 2025, covering both Indonesian and international publications. Results: Total of 12 articles met the inclusion criteria, revealing differences in food security levels between poor households in urban and rural areas. Rural poor households tend to have greater food security compared to their urban counterparts. The food coping strategies adopted by poor households in rural areas are generally more effective in ensuring food security than those implemented in urban. Conclusion: This study identifies disparities in food security between poor households in urban and rural areas. Poor households in rural areas tend to be more food secure due to greater access to food resources, while those in urban areas are more dependent on income and market conditions, making them more vulnerable. Poor households address food insecurity through various food coping strategies, including reducing food consumption, purchasing cheaper food, or relying on assistance. These strategies vary depending on regional conditions. Keywords: Food coping strategy, Food security, Rural, Urban

Zimbabwe is becoming increasingly urbanized, and with this accelerating process comes a host of socio-economic challenges. Rapid urbanization process has resulted in increase urban food insecurity and malnutrition, especially on the side of tandem increase in urban poverty. Urban poverty and food shortage are taking root in Zimbabwe, as a result increased food production and access becomes critical to achieving major nutritional improvement and addressing food insecurity. In the face of urban food shortages, the present paradigm of rural food production cannot meet the challenges of the new millennium. It is hardly surprising that increasing umbers of urbanites are looking to grow their own food, if only to supplement their family food needs. Food is one of the basic needs and urban agriculture, both legal and illegal, has grown as a consequence of the difficult economic climate. Many urban households lack adequate amounts of foods that are rich in the nutrients needed for health and a productive life. It is against this background of increasing urban poverty that this discussion puts forward some suggestions for promoting urban agriculture. Urban agriculture has diverse economic, social and ecological functions and can be valued as one of the agricultural sectors having enormous potential to contribute to food security in Zimbabwe. In this discussion the role of urban agriculture in improving nutrition and food security is highlighted. Urban areas are becoming more 'modern' in their patterns of consumption than in their patterns of production, and there is a danger that the urban poor will become more and more marginalized while, at the other extreme, a small increasingly wealthy elite develops. The demand for food due to increased urbanization is predicted to grow faster than production resulting in a growing food deficit and insecurity in urban areas. Strategies which foster gender equality in urban food production will impact positively on food production, which may translate into expanded food production base to meet the needs of the growing urban dwellers, who are failing to make ends meet. This means participation of women in urban agriculture on the understanding that they are custodians of food production in many urban communities is recommended. However, challenges associated with urban agriculture need to be addressed to avoid land degradation and pollution in urban areas. Therefore, urban agriculture should be considered as a normal component of agriculture system and urban development, which has the capacity to improve nutrition and food security, as it lends itself to the majority of the urban poor. Greater and more sustained food production from urban agriculture will increase the potential access of the urban household to an adequate diet. It is envisaged that urban agriculture will be the new approach to satisfying urban food demands, however best provided incentives to urban farmers are credited by formulating policy fair to urban food producers. In the face of this bleak situation, major efforts are required to promote urban agriculture in addressing the nutritional needs and the perpetual food insecurity challenges in urban areas of Zimbabwe. On the other hand, given the economic, social and ecological advantages of urban farming it is arguably deserves even greater attention than before.

FOOD FOR THE CITIES: URBAN AGRICULTURE IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

Cost benefit analysis in 20 each urban and periurban dairy farms nearby Navsari city of Gujarat, India were studied. The required information from selected farms was collected through personal interview. The collected and derived data were subject to statistics as per standard technique in Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software. Total fixed cost in urban and peri urban area was Rs. 2.27±0.36 and 2.05±0.33 lakh, respectively. Among total cost, fixed cost was 11.42%, further; it was nonsignificant among urban and peri-urban farms. Total variable cost was looked higher in urban farms i.e. Rs.18.97±2.47 and 14.50±2.33 in urban and periurban farms, respectively, however, it was nonsignificant between two areas. The proportion of variable cost was major (88.58%) among total cost. Among total cost feed-fodder cost was highest i.e. 70.10% followed by labour cost i.e. 17.13%. Gross total income was found higher in urban farms but it was nonsignificant between two regions. Pooled gross total income was Rs. 23.05 lakh. Average total income from sale of milk was Rs. 21.70 lakh (92.72%). Sale of animals (4.31%) and sale of dung (2.98%) was also having some contribution in return. The average net profit in urban farms was found nonsignificant higher i.e. Rs. 5.52 and 3.48 lakh, in urban and peri urban farms, respectively. When farms was compared based on net return per adult unit the urban farms was significantly more profitable (US$ 172 v/s 136). The net profit per litre of milk was Rs. 9.20 and 6.80 in urban and periurban farms, respectively. The overall benefit cost ratio was found 1:1.20. It was also higher in urban area. Thus, it can be concluded that urban and periurban dairy farms are profitable and viable enterprise.

Food insecurity and inadequate dietary diversity worsen undernutrition in Ethiopia, hindering progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals and the Seqota Declaration's objective to eliminate hunger and chronic undernutrition by 2030. This study investigates the prevalence and causes of household food insecurity and dietary diversity among pregnant and lactating women (PLW) in the Seqota Declaration pilot woredas of the Tekeze River basin, situated in the Amhara and Tigray regions. A cross-sectional survey conducted from March to April 2018 sampled 2036 households across 13 Seqota Declaration woredas. Food insecurity was assessed using the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) and the Months of Adequate Household Food Provisioning (MAHFP) scale. Women's Dietary Diversity Score (WDDS) was evaluated for 642 PLW. Logistic and Poisson regression models identified predictors of food insecurity and dietary diversity, respectively. More than half of households in Tigray (55.0%) and Amhara (59.5%) experienced moderate to severe food insecurity. Only 7% of pregnant and lactating women (PLW) in Tigray and 10% in Amhara met the minimum dietary diversity requirements. Older household heads and those with lower wealth status faced a higher risk of food insecurity. Increased livestock ownership, improved land and water management practices, and greater production diversity were linked to lower odds of food insecurity. A larger land size (adjusted incidence rate ratio (AIRR) 1.04 per hectare, p = 0.017) and higher wealth status (AIRR 1.19 for the wealthiest quintile (Q5), p = 0.043; AIRR 1.17 for Q4, p = 0.044) improved Women's Dietary Diversity Score (WDDS). Seqota Declaration interventions should prioritize asset building, crop diversification, and improved land and water management to increase food security and dietary diversity. More research is needed to determine how market food availability, affordability, and recent events, such as conflicts and droughts, impact these predictors.

This study aims to measure food security and the levels of food insecurity among Syrian refugee households. It also aimed to determine the association between food security status and types of households including the number of employed members of the households and children in households. Semi-structured interview questionnaires were administered to 80 households of Syrian refugees residing in Florida. Participants were Syrian refugees who have resettled in Florida since 2011 and were interviewed in one-on-one 45-minute sessions. Included cities were Miami, West Palm Beach, Orlando, and Tampa. The main outcomes were food security, levels of food insecurity, the number of employed individuals in households, and the structure of households with and without children. The mean food security score was 4.7± 2.6 among participating households when a score of 3-7indicates food insecurity without hunger. There were significant differences (p = 0.02) between the levels of food insecurity in rural and urban areas. Households in rural areas experienced higher levels of food insecurity compared to households in urban areas. We found a significant relationship (p = 0.04) between food security and the number of employed individuals in households in rural areas. The logistic regression model comparing food security status in rural and urban areas showed that households in rural areas had 80.2 % less odds of being food secure than those in urban areas with the adjustment of the variable of number of employed individuals(odds ratio = 0.198; 95% CI: 0.055-0.712; p = 0.01). Another logistic regression model showed that Miami was four times and West Palm Beach was 11.8 times more likely to be food secure than Tampa when the number of employees was adjusted. Among allthe households, there were significant differences (p = 0.01) in the levels of food insecurity between households with and without children. When the typeof residence was introduced into the corresponding model, households in rural areas were 79.3% less likely to be food secure than households in urban areas(odds ratio: 0.207; CI: 0.06-0.70; p = 0.01). Another logistic regression showed that West Palm Beach had a significant positive effect (p = 0.005) on food security. Households in this city had 9.95 greater odds of being food secure than households in Tampa. The effect in Miami was marginally positive (p = 0.07) in this model. Households in Miami might have had 3.8 greater probabilities of being food secure than the households in Tampa when the variable of households with and without children was adjusted. Food insecurity was frequent among n = 64 (80.0%) of Syrian refugee households residing in Florida. Households with at least two employed individuals were more likely to experience food security than households with only one member employed. The number of employees in households may have a greater impact on food security in urban areas than in rural areas. Food insecurity was more frequent in households with children than in households without children. Adults in food-insecure households with children might have experienced greater levels of food insecurity compared to their food-insecure children.

Peri-urban food insecurity and coping strategies among farm households in the face of rapid urbanization in Sub-Saharan Africa: Evidence from Ethiopia

This study quantifies household-level socioeconomic drivers of food and nutrition insecurity in two rural Lesotho villages and translates those findings into clear monitorable pathways for sustainable development. Lesotho has a population of just over 2 million, of which 580,000 people live below the poverty line, and 24% (about 139,200) in the subset are experiencing extreme poverty, particularly in rural areas. Food and nutrition insecurity affects 61% of the population in rural areas and 39% in urban areas. The study aimed to determine the socioeconomic conditions and food security status of 126 females residing in Mpharane and Maqoala villages in the district of Mohale’s Hoek in Lesotho. A cross-sectional quantitative design was employed, and the measurement instruments included a socio-demographic questionnaire, the Household Hunger Scale (HHS), the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS), and a food frequency questionnaire. Statistical analyses were conducted using descriptive statistics. The results indicated that all the participants were mothers and caregivers living in overcrowded households, with 61% residing in one-room homes. Unemployment was a universal experience among the participants, resulting in severe food insecurity as 100% of the participants reduced the food intake of their children, as well as other household members, due to limited financial resources. The participants’ diet was predominantly cereal-based, with a mean cereal group intake of 26.70 (±8.53), and wheat was the most frequently consumed cereal (59.5%). By linking food security metrics (HHS, HFIAS, and food frequency) to household structure, unemployment, housing density, and cash access, the research produces evidence that can be used to design, prioritize, and evaluate interventions across the social, economic, environmental, and governance dimensions of sustainability. In conclusion, by defining measurable household-level links between socioeconomic conditions and food insecurity, this study provides baseline indicators and practical intervention targets aimed at achieving sustainable food systems, social equity, and economic resilience in rural Lesotho.

Objective – This study aims to analyze the contribution of urban and peri-urban agriculture in mitigating food insecurity in Brazil, considering the relevance of the National Program for Urban and Peri-urban Agriculture (2018) and the recent Law No. 14,935/2024. The research seeks to map and analyze academic studies on the subject, highlighting the main contributions of community gardens to sustainable development. Methodology – The research adopted a qualitative state-of-the-art approach, analyzing theses and dissertations available in the Brazilian Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (BDTD) published between 2020 and 2024. Seven studies were identified and analyzed, considering their contributions to urban and community agriculture. Originality/relevance – The study fills a gap by linking urban agriculture to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), highlighting its role in poverty eradication (SDG 2), education promotion (SDG 4), economic growth (SDG 8), and sustainable cities (SDG 11). Additionally, it proposes strategies to strengthen the implementation of public policies focused on urban agriculture. Results – The analysis revealed that community gardens have great potential to contribute to food and nutritional security while generating jobs and income. However, challenges were identified, such as the need for more effective public policies, incentives for local consumption, and strengthening of community initiatives. The research suggests that state and municipal governments without specific legislation on urban agriculture develop local policies aligned with national legislation. Theoretical/methodological contributions – The study contributes to the debate on food security and sustainable development by consolidating knowledge on urban agriculture from recent academic literature. It also proposes that future research analyze the contributions of urban agriculture to vulnerable populations registered in the Federal Government's Unified Registry. Social and environmental contributions – The research reinforces the importance of urban agriculture as a strategy for social and economic inclusion, promoting environmental sustainability and agroecological education. Encouraging community gardens and policies supporting local consumption can strengthen food supply networks and reduce food insecurity in urban centers.

HIV/AIDS and food insecurity

BackgroundThere is growing recognition of the need for fish to be better integrated into nutrition-sensitive strategies for addressing malnutrition. Fish are overwhelmingly produced by the small-scale sector, which supports food and nutrition security directly through the provision of fish and indirectly through the generation of income which can be used to purchase other desired foods. However, there has been relatively little research on the extent of food and nutrition security in specialised fishing communities. This study assessed food and nutrition security among households in specialised fishing communities in Komodo District, eastern Indonesia.MethodsWe assessed the seasonal nutrition quality of household diets using the Food Consumption Score for nutritional analysis and food insecurity using the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale in 66 households across three communities, using a modified cluster sampling strategy. We calculated and generated descriptive statistics for these indicators with Microsoft Excel and ran a logistic generalized linear mixed model to determine factors associated with severe food insecurity using SPSS. We used semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions to understand perceptions of, change over time, and strategies for dealing with food shortfalls.ResultsWhile most households have acceptable access to nutritious foods, especially protein and heme iron-rich foods, nearly one half of households consumed vitamin A rich foods on less than 3 days of the 7-day recall period in either season. More than half of households reported experiencing a moderate or severe level of food insecurity, with higher food insecurity in the wet season. Low maternal education (OR: 3.8, 95%CI 1.5–9.9) and lower household wealth (OR: 0.5, 95%CI 0.3–0.9) were found to be associated with a severe level of food insecurity. Household’s consumptive and non-consumptive response strategies reflect adaptation to chronic food insecurity but are nutritionally and economically unsustainable.ConclusionHouseholds in specialised fishing communities in Komodo District consumed diets with low diversity and experienced high levels of food insecurity. There is a need for culturally-appropriate nutrition-sensitive strategies to enhance food and nutrition security in vulnerable fishing communities.

High crop productivity has the potential to improve the food and nutrition security status of not only smallholder farmers but also households in general. However, smallholder farmers operate in a dynamic environment whereby their crop production is affected by various factors that hinder it from lessening food insecurity and malnutrition in rural areas. The study investigated the determinants of crop productivity and its effect on household food and nutrition security status in South Africa. This study employed a quantitative research method. A total of 1520 households were selected using the multi-stage stratified random sampling technique. Out of the total sample size of 1520, 386 were crop producers, 176 producers were from Mpumalanga province, and 210 producers were from the Limpopo province. Most of the smallholder farmers do not have access to the irrigation system, mechanization, and agricultural inputs. The Household Food Insecurity Access Scale showed that most smallholder farmers were food insecure, with 78% of the farmers in each province found to be food insecure. The results from Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS) showed that in the overall sampled population, 50% of smallholder farmers had highly diverse diets. Only 50% of the smallholder farmers had high dietary diversity in each province. Irrigation systems and involvement in crop production had a positive influence on the crop productivity of smallholder farmers. The results from the Conditional Mixed Process (CMP) model showed that ownership of livestock, harvest, and disability in the family negatively impacted smallholder farmers' food security status while household size had a positive effect on the food security of smallholder farmers. The results also showed that social grants, agricultural assistance, and harvest had a negative impact on the nutrition status of smallholder farmers. While household size had a positive impact on the nutrition status of smallholder farmers. Factors such as irrigation systems and involvement in crop production influenced crop productivity. Household size influenced the nutritional status of smallholder farmers while harvest size affected the food security status. There is a need to encourage more households to get involved in farming. Government and nongovernmental organizations need to support smallholder farmers with agricultural productive resources like irrigation systems to improve their crop productivity.

Despite Bangladesh’s remarkable progress in agricultural production over the past few decades, household food and nutrition insecurity persist, especially in rural areas. The nutrition security and dietary diversity are even more critical for women of reproductive age among smallholders. This study examined household food insecurity and dietary diversity of women of reproductive age in the rural areas of northwest Bangladesh. Using cross-sectional data collected from 252 smallholder households, we measured household food insecurity and dietary diversity of women of reproductive age by the Household Food Insecurity Access Scale and the Minimum Dietary Diversity for Women, respectively. Determinants of household food insecurity were examined, and associations between household food insecurity and low dietary diversity were determined. The majority of the households were mildly insecure (51.2%) followed by moderately insecure (27.4%). The households felt anxiety of food insecurity for more than six months a year (Food Security Index = 2.10 out of 4.00). The mean food group consumed by women was 4.63 indicating low dietary diversity and dominance of diets by grains and dark green leafy vegetables. The findings also indicate a significant and positive association between household food insecurity and low dietary diversity of women. Education of household heads, household size, access to information sources, access to credit support, and perceived impacts of climate change on crop production were identified as determinants of household food insecurity. The study recommends that appropriate interventions be formulated to improve the food and nutrition security in the study areas.

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the risk of global public health and has the potential to cause severe food and water insecurity due to economic recession during lockdown for people living in low-middle income countries like Bangladesh where capital resources are scarce. There is growing evidence that household food and water insecurity has been associated with poor psychological outcomes. The objective of this study was to determine the association between household food and water insecurity with mental health and whether these differed among urban-rural households. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted with 545 participants immediately after the COVID-19 lockdown period in Bangladesh (August 1-September 30, 2020). Household food and water security were determined using a 9-item Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) (score range 0-27) and a 12-item Household Water Insecurity Experiences (HWISE) scale (score range 0-36), respectively. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) was used to evaluate mental health. Multivariable logistic regression examined the association between household food and water insecurity with perceived stress, adjusting socioeconomic characteristics. An urban-rural stratified analysis was also performed. About 72.84% (397) respondents reported high stress and more than 70% of households suffered from food and water insecurity during the lockdown period. After adjusting covariates, logistic regression model results show that food insecurity was associated with a 1.07-point increase in high perceived stress (OR=1.07, 95% CI=1.01-1.11, p<0.01) while water insecurity was associated with 1.03 times greater odds of high perceived stress (OR=1.03, 95% CI=0.93-1.23, p<0.05). In stratified analysis, only food insecurity was associated with high perceived stress in the urban household (OR=1.08, 95% CI=1.00-1.11, p<0.05). However, none of the household insecurity was associated with perceived stress in rural households. Interventions that promote equal access to resources for low-income individuals will likely to be more effective to alleviate economic burden of pandemic.